The assault charges and controversy surrounding Jonathan Majors could cause trouble for his role in Disney+'s Loki Season 2.
Jonathan Majors has found himself in hot water recently after being accused of assault and harassment by his ex-girlfriend, with the actor currently facing misdemeanor charges with a potential one year in prison on the table.
The controversy surfaced amid Majors' one-two-punch of Creed 3 and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania releasing back-to-back, with the Kang actor set to return to the MCU later this year in Disney+'s Loki Season 2.
The actor made his MCU debut in surprise fashion ahead of his announced role in Quatumania during the finale of Loki's freshman outing, with the mysterious He Who Remains introducing the Multiverse before his own death tore it open.
Why Jonathan Majors' Controversy Could Hurt Loki Season 2
Following Jonathan Majors' latest court hearing - via Variety - the actor's trial for domestic violence charges has been set to begin on August 3. The trial date seems to spell trouble for Majors' next appearance as Kang, which will come with Disney+'s Loki Season 2 which premieres on October 6.
According to reports, Majors' Kang will take on a bigger role in Loki Season 2 than in the show's freshman outing. The Avengers 5 star will reportedly appear in at least three episodes as multiple Kang Variants, one of which has already been teased with Ant-Man 3's post-credits scene.
Based on his appearance in Ant-Man 3's Loki-centric post-credits scene, Marvel Studios plans to be more open about the Avengers villain's role in the Disney+ follow-up than last time around - where his debut was a complete surprise.
With Majors' trial set to begin two months from Loki's premiere and right after Secret Invasion concludes on July 26, the case will likely run concurrently with when Marvel Studios will be preparing to dial up marketing for the new season.
Marvel Studios has already shown signs of subtly avoiding ties to Majors, such as by delaying the behind-the-scenes Assembled special for Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, which likely would have featured the actor in a major way.
Even Amazon almost completely left the well-regarded actor out of marketing for Creed 3's home release, despite him being the co-lead and Majors featuring prominently in promotion for the theatrical debut prior to the controversy.
The controversy continues to have a significant impact on the actor's career as he was dropped from multiple projects, including a U.S. Army ad campaign, although it's currently unclear how Marvel Studios will respond.
How Loki Season 2 Will Navigate Jonathan Majors' Controversy
The inclusion of the Avengers' next threat and the MCU's current main antagonist will undoubtedly be a major draw for Loki Season 2, with Kang's role showing off just how important the Disney+ show is to the overall story of the Multiverse Saga.
Granted, Loki Season 1 managed to draw enough attention without the need for Avengers connections, with Tom Hiddleston's villain leading his way to what remains the MCU's most successful Disney+ show yet. But the inclusion of Kang gives the potential to drive this show to new heights on the road to Avengers 5.
However, with Jonathan Majors' trial set to run during the show's marketing, Marvel Studios will likely want to avoid publicizing his ties to Loki too heavily, especially if he is found guilty of the abuse charges brought against him.
One particularly has to wonder what reaction Kang's appearance in Loki will draw at this point given the controversy surrounding Majors and the desire from many to see the role recast - but will Marvel Studios take action that drastic?
That said, with Loki Season 2 long finished filming and now just over three months away from premiering, whatever the outcome of Majors' case may be is unlikely to impact his actual role in the project; the time to make any major story adjustments or conduct reshoots with a recast actor has long passed.
Loki Season 2 will premiere on October 6, exclusively on Disney+.
