The MCU may choose a variety of people to play the various incarnations of Kang the Conqueror instead of casting just one actor to play Jonathan Majors.
The largest scope of storytelling is seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The MCU depends on continuity because it has produced numerous films and television series over the course of more than fifteen years, all of which weave together a single story. The main threat in that ongoing tale is a significant component. The "big bad" is the glue that holds the strongest heroes in the universe together, and it is supplied by Thanos throughout the events of the Infinity Saga. That antagonist is Kang the Conqueror in the ongoing Multiverse Saga.
Kang, who starred as Jonathan Majors in Seasons 1 and 2 of Loki and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, is positioned as the Avengers' next big threat, on par with Thanos. But Kang is still unemployed after Majors was fired by Disney after a domestic abuse trial. According to some sources, Marvel may decide to drop Kang and find a new villain for the remaining parts of the Multiverse Saga. However, for the sake of the plot, the MCU should stick with Kang and recast the role with a number of gifted actors.
It Would Be Too Soon to Abandon Kang the Conqueror
Despite having a significant impact on the MCU, Thanos only made appearances in five of the twenty-three movies that comprise the Infinity Saga. Of those appearances, two were limited to post-credit scenes: Thanos makes a smiling, line-free appearance in The Avengers, and he says, "Fine, I'll do it myself" after collecting the Infinity Gauntlet in Avengers: Age of Ultron. The Mad Titian only made a significant appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy prior to Avengers: Infinity War, and even then, he only made two appearances total, one of which is an abridged Zoom call with Ronan the Accuser.Nevertheless, as the Avengers and other heroes became more aware of the threat that Thanos posed in Phase 3, the character's influence was felt throughout that entire period. When he emerged as the main character in Avengers: Endgame and Infinity War, there was no doubting that Thanos was a formidable opponent.
Even though he has now almost surpassed his purple predecessor in screen time, Kang is not Thanos at this point in the Multiverse Saga (about halfway through Phase 5). It makes sense to have more Kang. In addition to introducing the heroes who would propel Marvel into the stratosphere of cinema, Phase 1 of the MCU also outlined the specifics of how a shared universe of this magnitude would function. Audiences were aware of the MCU's framework and most of the heroes that inhabited it by the time Kang made his debut in Phase 4, because of the shadow cast by Thanos over the characters and the audience, the MCU had to introduce Kang early on to show that he was a formidable opponent as well. Thus far, the outcomes have been inconsistent. Although Quantumania showed off Kang's potential power, it didn't really prove that he would become the new Thanos. Loki fared better, emphasizing the risks that an infinite number of variations could present while providing several character variations in He Who Remains and Victor Timely.
Without a doubt, Kang is a formidable opponent, as he has repeatedly shown throughout his history in comic books. If the slow burn of Thanos taught us anything, it's that it's okay to have the main antagonist develop gradually. Given how deeply ingrained the MCU is in the Multiverse and the preexisting foundations for him, Kang makes the most sense as the villain to wrap up the story. If the character were abandoned now, his appearance up to this point would be meaningless.The Marvel Cinematic Universe, albeit still a massive box office success, is in a less stable place than it has ever been, and changing the story midway through will only make things worse. Marvel still needs Kang even with Majors gone, and unlike most characters, he has a clear casting advantage because there are a lot of Kangs in the Multiverse.
The Variant Possibilities Are Unlimited
A variation is a version of the same character from a different universe. Numerous variations have previously been presented by the MCU, including three distinct Spider-Mans in Spider-Man: No Way Home and the unique Loki variant Sylvie along with a few other Lokis. One thing has been made very evident by these two projects: a variant need not be the same individual dressed differently. Alternatively, they can be a completely different individual living in the same space in a different reality.The idea was furthered by the Quantumania post-credit scene, which featured a large arena full of Kang variations, several of which had blue skin and extraterrestrial features. This moment sort of prepares the audience for when several performers take on the part of Kang simultaneously.
In recent weeks, rumors regarding who might play Kang have started to spread. Coleman Domingo and John David Washington have both been proposed as Kang's replacements. A substitute for Majors has also been suggested: Stephan James. Marvel should cast all three of those actors since they are all excellent choices for the part, but they shouldn't stop there. Theoretically, the number of Kangs in the multiverse is limitless. That implies there are female variations as well, as Loki demonstrated. For a brief moment, picture some of the most prominent black females in Hollywood showcasing their skills as insane supervillains.
Both Regina King and Kerry Washington bring something special to whatever they do, and they would do the same for any MCU endeavor. For elder actors, the same holds true. Tom Holland and Tobey McGuire, who play distinct Peter Parker personas on screen, are 21 years apart. It makes sense that there are older iterations of Kang, which would allow for cameos from renowned performers like Morgan Freeman or Denzel Washington, who might even appear on television alongside his son. Getting such well-known actors to participate in a superhero franchise may seem like wishful thinking, but the diversity would actually make it simpler to approach them.
Marvel Movie Schedules Can Be Tough
After a strike by writers and actors halted filming, scheduling issues forced the recasting of some actors for the upcoming Thunderbolts. Scheduling becomes a problem when you have to sign an actor for a few big studio projects spread out across fewer than ten years. With James Gunn giving his authority to DC, the MCU is no longer the only game in town. Actors will soon have more alternatives if they want to play superheroes in movies. Rather, Marvel need to request that performers commit to a very reasonable two or three films.Most people will only see a brief cameo as the Kangs band together; the most of their screen time will be in the already postponed Avengers 5 and 6. The menace that the character poses would be greatly increased by showcasing drastically various iterations of the character in limited roles and post-credit scenes leading up to the first significant Kang clash since Quantumania.
Kang's multitude, not his strength, is what makes him dangerous. Thanos was a unique, incredibly powerful creature. Conversely, Kang is formidable in his own way due to his overwhelming strength. He is the army within himself. It makes less of an impression to see one actor on a green screen shot dressed differently and applying makeup than it does to see a group of strong individuals playing the same role. A multi-actor cast would also allow the character to have greater depth. With each actor contributing their own energy, emotion, and vibe to the part, every Kang variation becomes a distinct individual with distinct reasons beyond the character's overall common objective.
Marvel will probably make a decision about Kang soon. Deadpool 3 is the only film the company has scheduled for release in 2024; however, several more are either in production or scheduled to begin this year. It will be more crucial to identify the next major threat to the MCU as Phase 6 draws near. Few characters have the potential that Kang gives the studio: numerous actors can play him simultaneously. The opportunity to play a variant-centric character like Kang is not one that comes across very frequently, even while a gifted actor may shine in the part on their own. Because the Multiverse is full of singular possibilities, the MCU ought to be full of singular Kangs as well.
