NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Marvel had more riding on than perhaps any other actor. Now it's parting ways with him, and throwing years of plans for its cinematic universe in disarray.
Marvel Studios and the Walt Disney Co. dropped Majors from all future projects following according to a person close to the studio who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn鈥檛 authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
The swift move by Disney marked a stunning about-face for an actor who had been one of Hollywood's fastest-rising stars. A Manhattan jury on Monday found the 34-year-old Majors guilty of one misdemeanor assault charge and one harassment violation for a March altercation with his
Majors, who was acquitted of a different assault charge and of aggravated harassment, will be sentenced on Feb. 6. He declined to comment as he left the courthouse. Majors' attorney, Priya Chaudhry, said in a statement that 鈥渋t is clear that the jury did not believe Grace Jabbari鈥檚 story of what happened in the SUV because they found that Mr. Majors did not intentionally cause any injuries to her.鈥�
鈥淢r. Majors still has faith in the process and looks forward to fully clearing his name,鈥� said Chaudhry.
As the superhero studio prepared phase five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it cast the highly acclaimed Majors as the antagonist Kang the Conqueror. The character was to span several films and series as the Marvel Cinematic Universe's next-phase answer to Thanos, the villain of 鈥淎vengers: Endgame.鈥�
Majors had already appeared in 鈥� and the first two seasons of 鈥淟oki.鈥� He was to star in 鈥淎vengers: The Kang Dynasty,鈥� dated for release in May 2026.
The future of 鈥淭he Kang Dynasty鈥� is now unclear. Disney declined to comment on whether it will recast the role of Kang or pivot in a new direction.
The studio has been preparing for the possibility of Majors' exit from the franchise. But Marvel was limited in its ability to fashion rewrites due to that ran from May to late September. The studio recently hired screenwriter Michael Waldron to rework 鈥淭he Kang Dynasty.鈥�
For Marvel, Majors' departure adds to a series of recent setbacks. Though its box-office success 鈥� nearly $30 billion worldwide from 33 films 鈥� is unsurpassed in movie history, the superhero factory has recently seen some atypical struggles. 鈥淭he Marvels,鈥� released in November, has been the MCU's , with $204 million in worldwide ticket sales.
Majors also recently starred as a troubled amateur bodybuilder in which made an acclaimed debut at the Sundance Film Festival in January and was acquired by the Disney-owned indie distributor Searchlight Pictures. Following its premiere, an Oscar nomination for Majors was widely predicted.
鈥淢agazine Dreams鈥� had been dated to open in theaters in Dec. 8. But ahead of Majors' trial, Searchlight removed the film from its release calendar. Instead, on Dec. 8 t In one, Majors begged Jabbari not to seek medical attention for a head injury sustained in 2022 , warning she had 鈥渘o perspective of what could happen鈥� if the truth got out.
In late February as 鈥淐reed III,鈥� starring Majors alongside Michael B. Jordan, was being released, Majors in the neighborhood of Chelsea, just a few blocks away from where his fight with Jabbari would weeks later spill out onto New York streets.
Majors then sounded acutely aware that his rapid new fame carried the risk of a downfall.
鈥淭hough I鈥檝e not seen the boogeyman, I know it鈥檚 out there,鈥� Majors said. 鈥淎nd I鈥檝e been around to know it鈥檚 comin鈥�. I won鈥檛 go down my rabbit hole of death, but it鈥檚 comin鈥�. But you outrun it. You just stay out of the frame. I鈥檒l stay out of the frame."
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Associated Press writer Jennifer Peltz contributed to this report
Jake Coyle, The Associated Press
