Marvel Studios is still on the hunt for a new actor to portray Kang the Conqueror, the big bad of The Multiverse Saga. Unfortunately for the studio, one potential replacement for Jonathan Majors, Them star Luke James, has taken himself out of the running.
In an interview with The Direct, James shared that, despite some interest from the Marvel Cinematic Universe fandom, he had no interest in replacing Majors as Kang the Conqueror, although he would consider joining the franchise in a different role. “Marvel as a whole? Yes. Kang the Conqueror? No. But I wouldn’t not not take the meeting,” the actor said. “There are so many characters I would love a take at.” One character that has yet to debut in the MCU that James would love to take a crack at is Dwayne Taylor/Night Thrasher, who first appeared in Thor #411 in 1989. “As a kid, I loved Thrasher, especially when I was introduced to him via Spider-Man,” he explained. “I just thought that was really cool. I skateboard. I thought it was really sick.”
After debuting as the character in Loki, Majors was initially set to return as Kang the Conqueror, and his many variants, in both Avengers 5 (formerly subtitled The Kang Dynasty) and Avengers: Secret Wars. Similar to Thanos being the big bad of The Infinity Saga, Kang was being set up by Marvel to be the main antagonist of its Multiverse Saga.
However, after Majors was charged with and found guilty of assault and harassment, Marvel Studios parted ways with the actor. The hunt is now on for a replacement, with John David Washington and Coleman Domingo reportedly two names Marvel is interested in meeting with for the role.
Luke James Also Open to DCU Role
James is also open to joining James Gunn’s forthcoming DC Universe, which will begin later this year with the animated series Creature Commandos. He told The Direct that Nathaniel Adam/Captain Atom would be one superhero that he would be interested in bringing to life on the big screen, referring to him as “such a unique character.” He continued, “Adam is really powerful. I think that would be really [cool]… Right now, I see him hooked up to this reactor… They’re draining him; they’re using his power to create these radioactive beings that they’re using. I forget what animation that was…”
What’s the Latest on Avengers 5?
According to trusted insider Daniel Richtman, the untitled Avengers 5 movie is expected to begin principal photography in the United Kingdom in January 2025. While plot details remain under wraps, Richtman noted that Avengers 5 will feature a “more grounded” story, though the sequel will still have Multiversal elements. Marvel Studios is still searching for a filmmaker to direct Avengers 5. Shang-Chi helmer Destin Daniel Cretton was originally tapped to direct the movie but departed in November 2023 to focus on Shang-Chi 2. Shawn Levy, who directed the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine, is reportedly the top choice for the gig now, although Marvel is meeting with other directors while awaiting a final answer from Levy.
