Marvel fans now have an idea of what Marvel Studios plans to do with Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror ahead of Avengers 5 (formerly titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty).
After Majors was found guilty of harassment and assault in the third degree in December 2023, he was subsequently fired from his role as Kang in the MCU. This left Marvel with a huge problem considering Kang was supposed to play a vital role in at least Avengers 5 and potentially its sequel as well.
Rumors hinted at Marvel weighing a couple of different options — either recasting the role, lessening Kang's presence, or changing to a different villain completely for the Multiverse Saga.
Marvel Reveals Plan for Kang in Avengers 5
During Marvel Studios' official Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2024, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige shared the team's plan for what they will do with the Kang the Conqueror character going forward.
In a shocking move, Marvel Studios retitled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty to Avengers: Doomsday, doing away with the last connection to Majors' character in the franchise.
The sequel is currently set to arrive in theaters in May 2026, and it will officially be directed by Joe and Anthony Russo.
Additionally, that movie will feature none other than MCU icon Robert Downey Jr. taking on his second Marvel Studios role as the villainous Dr. Victor Von Doom.
He is already a Marvel legend for his work across the Infinity Saga as Tony Stark/Iron Man. It will be his 11th MCU appearance and his first since Tony Stark's sacrificial death in 2019's Avengers: Endgame.
This marks a full-circle moment for Downey, who met with 20th Century Fox for the role of Doctor Doom in 2005's Fantastic Four, which was eventually filled by Julian McMahon.
The full video of the announcement can be seen below, courtesy of Screen Rant's Rob Keyes on X (formerly Twitter):
What Will Happen in Avengers Doomsday?
Avengers: Doomsday featuring Robert Downey Jr. is quite a shocking move, especially considering how beloved Downey is for his portrayal of Iron Man from 2008 to 2019.
Seeing him take on one of Marvel's most terrifying villains will throw the entire franchise for a loop, particularly knowing the Avengers are about to see a villain who looks just like their former leader.
This should also tie into 2025's The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which is now confirmed to be set in a futuristic 1960s in a different universe than the Sacred Timeline.
Whether Downey's Doom comes from that universe or another is a mystery. However, considering the Fantastic Four are now confirmed for both of the next two Avengers movies, his inclusion as the next big bad will only solidify their appearances further.
Of course, there are still countless questions about how this will work with Downey now playing two of the most iconic Marvel characters in history. All in all, with this being the Multiverse Saga (which is filled with Variants of all sorts), it could be the move that sends the saga off with the biggest of bangs.
Avengers: Doomsday will debut in theaters on May 1, 2026.
Read more about Avengers 5 below:
Marvel's Avengers 5: Benedict Cumberbatch Gives Exciting Production Update
Avengers 5: Marvel Studios Just Teased 1 Unsurprising Hero's Lead Role (Photo)
Marvel Considers These 3 Upcoming MCU Movies to Be Most Important to Its Future
