Marvel Studios is reportedly considering recasting Jonathan Majors‘ role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after the actor was found guilty of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari.
While Marvel has yet to decide what to do with Majors, a new report claims that if they ever recast the embattled actor’s role, there is one person who won’t be considered for the part, and that is Will Smith.
The bosses of the studio allegedly “refuse” to cast the “I Am Legend” actor due to him having his own “baggage.”
Marvel Studios Does Not Want To ‘Replace Baggage With More Baggage’
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Marvel certainly has a big decision to make about the crucial role Majors played in the film franchise, which has now been made vacant due to his guilty verdict.
The studios quickly dropped the movie star, who played Kang the Conqueror, after a jury of six New Yorkers found him guilty of two out of four charges brought against him in his assault trial.
Now, according to reports, the studio is contemplating recasting his Kang role, which was touted as the “next big bad” in their cinematic universe following the defeat of the Mad Titan, Thanos.
A source told the Daily Mail, “Marvel has to overhaul their next wave of movies and shows as Jonathan Majors’ Kang character was meant to lead us through the next set of stories for the next several years. And now if Kevin Feige and Marvel decide to recast instead of rewriting things entirely, one person will not be up for the role.”
The source continued, “There have been some online rumors that have been brewing that Will Smith would take over, but that is not going to happen.”
The insider claimed that Marvel doesn’t plan on replacing Majors with Smith, due to his own “baggage,” seemingly referring to his infamous 2022 Oscars slap.
“The Marvel team knows for sure they don’t want to replace baggage with more baggage,” the source added.
‘Will Smith Will Not Be A Replacement’ For Jonathan Majors
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The source further shared with the news outlet that due to the way things are now, it would be difficult for the studio to cast Smith as a replacement for Majors due to him having “baggage.”
“It may have worked for Marvel when they cast Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man back in the day when he wasn’t the star he is today, but we are in a different world and who they cast and how it goes over with fans is a whole new ballgame,” the source said.
“They are going to figure it out, but Will Smith will not be the replacement,” they added.
Smith’s career took a bit of a hit after he slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage at the 2022 Academy Awards. The actor was angered by a joke made by Rock while presenting an award. The comedian made a “G.I. Jane” joke aimed at Smith’s wife, Jada, who was bald at the time due to her battle with Alopecia.
The actor’s actions were met with severe backlash from celebrities and fans alike, who felt he could have handled the situation differently. Smith was eventually punished with a 10-year ban from the Academy Awards. He has since issued multiple apologies for his behavior that fateful night.
Jonathan Majors Lost His Marvel Role And Several Other Gigs
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Majors’ career faced severe setbacks after he was accused of assault by his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari.
Before his legal troubles, the actor starred as the enigmatic Kang the Conqueror in two Marvel projects, beginning with “Loki” season one and then “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.” His character was expected to be more prominent in the MCU’s next phase, “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty” and “Avengers: Secret Wars.”
Barely hours after being found guilty of reckless assault in the third degree and harassment, Majors swiftly dropped by Marvel Studios, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Majors has since remained quiet after losing his multimillion-dollar role with Marvel, and there’s no clear information about what the studio plans to do next. However, hiring Michael Waldron, the creator of “Loki,” to work on a new draft implies that the actor’s role as Kang might be recast.
Before being found guilty of assault and harassment, Majors lost both his management company, Entertainment 360, and publicist, The Lede Company. The actor also lost advertisement deals, including one with the Texas Rangers MLB team.
The “Creed III” star’s sentencing has been scheduled for February 6. He faces up to one year in prison for his crimes.