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These are the type of problems typically faced by other superhero production companies. A promising actor, suddenly brought down by an undisclosed event that destroys all anticipation for future projects. Speculation about replacing the actor, or potentially altering the entire plan. Failed installments that were meant to launch a new chapter, but instead serve as a crippling end to the saga.
Substitute DC’s Ezra Miller with Marvel’s Jonathan Majors. Instead of The Flash, consider Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Despite a successful track record at the box office and with critics over the past 10+ years, it appears that the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is facing some challenges similar to those faced by other studios, causing issues for Disney’s beloved comic book franchise.
The upcoming Avengers film from the studio, previously known as “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty”, will undergo significant changes following Majors’ recent conviction for assault and harassment against his ex-girlfriend. This was followed by additional allegations of abuse from two other women earlier this month.
The actor who played Kang in Disney+’s Loki and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has been dropped by Marvel on the day of his conviction for assault and harassment. A Hollywood trade magazine has confirmed that it is not worth focusing on a character with such a negative reputation. It is rumored that Kang will either be removed from the storyline altogether or given a lesser role, as the actor’s behavior has made him irrelevant to the Marvel franchise.
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Kang is a captivating character, a villain with various personas throughout Marvel’s interpretation of ancient history until the end of existence. He was seen as the ultimate adversary in attempting to conquer Earth’s most powerful heroes after the Avengers defeated Thanos and his malevolent actions of using magic stones to erase half of all life in the universe. As the MCU moves into phase five, who will take his place?
One possible solution would be to incorporate a supervillain from the unexplored corner of the Marvel universe into the MCU. These superheroes were not introduced in the main timeline due to their comic book publisher being sold to 20th Century Fox in the 1990s, resulting in the X-Men films, some poorly-received Fantastic Four movies, and a few successful Deadpool films. With Disney’s acquisition of Fox in 2019, characters such as Doctor Doom and Magneto are anticipated to make their debut in the main Marvel arena as the company integrates its previously overlooked characters.
It is highly likely that Doom will make an appearance in the upcoming Fantastic Four film directed by Matt Shakman. However, based on the current publicity for the 2025 release, the film will be set in the 1960s. This would require Doom to time travel in order to become the main villain in future Avengers movies. While this may seem like a challenging feat, it is not impossible considering Tony Stark’s ability to time travel in Avengers: Endgame and the existence of the character Kang across different time periods. However, this scenario would require some creative writing. Another possibility is that the planet-consuming villain Galactus could be the main antagonist, especially considering Doom’s frequent appearances in previous, less successful Fantastic Four films. Let’s just hope they don’t portray him as a monstrous cosmic fart like in the 2007 film, Rise of the Silver Surfer.
Could Magneto make an appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine? It’s not very likely, but there is a possibility. Marvel has not given any solid indications of how they will incorporate the X-Men into the MCU, but there have been hints (such as a recent end-credits scene that was the only redeeming factor in the otherwise uninteresting The Marvels) that suggest mutants may exist in alternate universes rather than the main Marvel reality.
Next, we have the Hulk, played by Mark Ruffalo. His portrayal of the not-so-cheerful green behemoth has been so friendly in the MCU that it’s difficult to picture him betraying his former allies, as seen in the World War Hulk plot in the comics.
Maybe Marvel could consider reintroducing Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin, who appeared in Sony’s Spider-Man movies, for Spider-Man: No Way Home. Without any other suitable options, it’s like having an experienced player on the sidelines who can still score the game-winning goal. The villainous goblin king is always prepared to bring chaos, evil laughter, and pumpkin-shaped bombs to any superhero gathering. While it’s unlikely to happen, fans of comic book films would certainly not be disappointed if it did.
Source: theguardian.com
