Summary

• Jonathan Majors has spoken publicly for the first time since his conviction. He maintains his innocence.
• Majors revealed that he was completely shocked by the jury's decision to find him guilty of assault and harassment.
• It's unclear if Marvel Studios will recast Kang or move on to a different villain in future projects.

Majors was convicted in December of misdemeanor assault and harassment. Almost immediately after, Marvel Studios dropped the actor and has hitherto not elaborated on their future plans for the character. Majors has refrained from public statements until now.

Speaking with Linsey Davis of ABC News Live, Majors commented on his behavior, his reaction to the jury's decision, and his hopes for his acting career now that he's no longer part of the MCU's future movies and shows. Majors maintains that the verdict doesn't line up with the evidence, explaining the following to ABC's Linsey Davis:

"I'm standing there, and the verdict comes down. I say, 'How is that possible based off the evidence, based off the prosecution's evidence, let alone our evidence? How is that possible?'"

The trial focused on an altercation between Majors and then-girlfriend Grace Jabbari in which Jabbari saw a text from another woman on Majors' phone and grabbed the device from him. What happened next is the subject of disagreement. Jabbari claims the actor grabbed her arm and held it behind her back, resulting in cuts, bruises, and a broken finger. Majors maintains that the assault didn't happen and that he didn't cause her injuries, explaining:

"That did not happen. I wish to God I knew [how the injuries actually happened]. That would give clarity. That would give me some type of peace about it. "

He later added:

"I'm an athlete. I'm a sportsman. I know my body. I know how it moves. I know my strength, or lack thereof, you know? None of that was employed on her."

Speaking specifically about losing the role of Kang, Majors says that he felt "like the world stopped" when he learned the news. As to if he thinks he'll act in Hollywood again, Majors seems optimistic, saying, "Heck yeah, I do. I pray I do."

Jabbari's attorney commented on her behalf in response to Majors' statements, expressing:

"It is not at all surprising that Mr. Majors continues to take no ability for his actions. The timing of these new statements demonstrates a clear lack of remorse for the actions..."

Clips from the interview aired this morning on Good Morning America, and the full piece was broadcast on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis on Monday at 7 PM EST. See the full interview below:

How Is Marvel Studios Moving Forward After Parting Ways With Majors?

The MCU could recast Kang or shift focus to a new big bad

It's unclear at this point what Marvel Studios plans to do now that it's dropped Majors. Kang has already appeared in two MCU projects (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Loki) and was set to be the title villain of 2026's Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. The easiest option seems to be to recast Kang and continue as planned, but Marvel Studios may want to distance itself from the character, given his association with Jonathan Majors. Similarly, it may prove difficult to find an actor excited about a role with so much negative baggage.

However, it's also possible that the MCU will move on from Kang and shift its focus to a new big bad for the remainder of the Multiverse Saga. Reports from internal communications indicate that Marvel Studios has dropped "The Kang Dynasty" from Avengers 5, though no title change has been made official. Earlier rumors suggest that Marvel Studios executives had already considered sidelining Kang after he failed to impress in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and Jonathan Majors' conviction may encourage a return to those discussions. With only Deadpool 3 set to release for the MCU in 2024, the studio has some time to consider its options.

Source: ABC News