Jonathan Majors, an Emmy-nominated actor, has been found guilty of reckless assault and harassment, leading to significant professional repercussions.
A Manhattan jury delivered the verdict after a two-week trial stemming from a March incident involving Jonathan Majors and his ex-partner, Grace Jabbari. Following the conviction, Marvel Studios confirmed Majors’ departure from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), where he played significant roles as He Who Remains and Kang the Conqueror.
Majors’ character was central to the MCU’s Phase 5 and 6, with a dedicated film, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, scheduled for 1 May 2026. However, his future in the franchise is now uncertain, with Marvel considering either recasting the role or introducing a new villain.
The actor’s arrest in March followed an altercation with Jabbari, where he was accused of causing physical harm. Despite Majors denying the assault and his defence team suggesting Jabbari was the aggressor, the jury found him guilty of two charges while acquitting him of intentional assault and aggravated harassment.
This conviction has led to Majors being dropped from several projects. His talent manager, Entertainment 360, and his publicity firm, The Lede Company, dismissed him, Additionally, he lost his roles in The Man in My Basement, an ad campaign with the U.S. Army, and a promotion with the Texas Rangers baseball team. His involvement in other projects, including Spike Lee’s Da Understudy and the Dennis Rodman film 48 Hours in Vegas, is now uncertain.
Marvel’s response to Majors’ legal troubles includes revisiting their creative plans. Loki creator Michael Waldron has been brought in to work on a new draft of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. This shift indicates Marvel’s proactive approach to managing such unprecedented situations, as the studio has historically recast roles over creative and financial disputes, not legal issues.
In the original Iron Man, Terrence Howard played James Rhodes but was replaced by Don Cheadle in the sequel due to salary disputes. Edward Norton, who led The Incredible Hulk the same year, departed over creative conflicts with Marvel, leading to Mark Ruffalo taking over the role in The Avengers. In a more recent instance, Harrison Ford took over the role of Thunderbolt Ross from the late William Hurt in the forthcoming Captain America: New World Order.
Before these developments, Majors was a rising star in Hollywood, with standout performances in Creed III, The Last Black Man in San Francisco, and Lovecraft Country. His recent work in Magazine Dreams at Sundance received acclaim, but its release by Searchlight Pictures remains uncertain. The conviction marks a significant turning point in Majors’ career, overshadowing his previously ascending trajectory in the entertainment industry.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, games, and comics — you name it. When she’s not reading or geeking out about the latest shows on Netflix, she’s probably playing Honkai: Star Rail, cosplaying, or daydreaming of meeting her idols.
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