Jonathan Majors was dropped by Marvel and Disney (Picture: AP)
Jonathan Majors has been dropped by Disney and Marvel Studios just hours after he was found guilty of assault and harassment – with many questioning who could possibly serve as his replacement.
The 34-year-old, who played Kang the Conqueror, was charged with assault and aggravated harassment amid claims he attacked his then-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari.
His former partner sustained minor injuries to her head and neck, but the actor denied all allegations made against him.
Majors was in court on Monday when a jury returned a split verdict – finding him guilty of two of the four domestic violence charges that he was facing.
He was found guilty of assault by recklessly causing physical injury, as well as harassment, while the jury declined to convict him on charges of aggravated harassment and assault with intent to cause physical harm.
Sentencing is due to take place in February and he could face up to a year in prison.
Kang the Conqueror is set to be the villain for the MCU’s Phase Five (Picture: Marvel Studios)
Shortly after the verdict came through, a Marvel spokesperson confirmed that they would no longer be working with the actor, who had previously played Kang the Conqueror.
The character was scheduled to play a major part in the upcoming Marvel slate, as well as landing his own movie, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, in 2026.
Following his exit, many speculated on how Marvel will move forward and whether they will scrap the plans for Kang altogether, or announce another name stepping into the role.
This would not be the first time bosses have recast a role, as they previously swapped Terrance Howard for Don Cheadle between the first two Iron Man movies amid reports of a dispute over salary.
However, after John Boyega found himself linked to Kang before Majors’ trial even began, the Star Wars favorite very quickly ruled himself out.
Taking to Twitter last month, he shared snaps of himself and Captain America’s Anthony Mackie backstage at the F1, when a fan replied: ‘Tell Anthony Mackie to connect you w whoever in charge of recasting Kang [sic].’
Having precisely none of it, Boyega simply responded with a gif of Donkey from Shrek shaking his head.
He was previously questioned about rumors that he would be appearing in the MCU in some capacity, and told Men’s Health last year: ‘That’s not in the vision for me now.
‘I want to do nuanced things. I want to donate my services to original indie films that come with new, fresh ideas, because I know it’s real hard to top Iron Man in that universe.’
Despite publicly declining the speculation, fans have continued to make their voices heard in the hopes that Boyega will change his mind – while also suggesting a string of other famous faces.
John Boyega quickly distanced himself from the role (Picture: Getty)
Moonlight actor Trevante Rhodes has been among the names tipped to take part, after his stunning efforts in the Oscar-winning flick.
John David Washington has also been named by some viewers, while Lost actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje has been thrown into the mix.
Some are calling out for Colman Domingo, who is set to light up the screen in the upcoming Color Purple musical, to nab the opportunity.
LaKeith Stanfield, who appeared alongside Majors in The Harder They Fall, has been heavily linked to the part from fans across social media.
Marvel bosses have not confirmed how they will be moving forward, but our eyes will be peeled for any announcements.
LaKeith Stanfield has been tipped to join the MCU (Picture: Getty)
Majors was initially arrested on March 25, and charged with several counts of assault and aggravated harassment towards Jabbari, after police responded to a 911 call and took him into custody.
He denied all allegations of assault, and arrived in court at the end of November, where Jabbari’s legal team claimed that he assaulted her in the backseat of a private car, when she reportedly attempted to grab his phone.
They argued that he then grabbed the right side of her body and pried her finger off the device while trying to retrieve it, which caused her bruising, swelling and substantial pain.
Jabbari sought treatment and explained to the officers that she had sustained her injuries from her now-ex.
Following the guilty verdict on Monday, Majors’ lawyer declared that he ‘looks forward to fully clearing his name.’
Majors was found guilty on Monday (Picture: Reuters)
‘It is clear that the jury did not believe Grace Jabbari’s story of what happened in the SUV because they found that Mr Majors did not intentionally cause any injuries to her, we are grateful for that,’ Priya Chaudhry told PA in a statement.
‘We are disappointed, however, that despite not believing Ms Jabbari, the jury nevertheless found that Mr Majors was somehow reckless while she was attacking him.
‘Mr Majors is grateful to God, his family, his friends, and his fans for their love and support during these harrowing eight months. Mr Majors still has faith in the process and looks forward to fully clearing his name.’
Metro.co.uk has contacted Marvel for a comment.
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He was found guilty on Monday.