Though Marvel still has not commented on it officially, Loki Season 2 executive producer Kevin Wright admitted that the situation surrounding Jonathan Majors' arrest in March is "a complicated [one]."
Despite the arrest due to alleged assault and the allegations which surfaced following it Majors is returning to the MCU in Loki's newest season. The Kang the Conqueror actor is expected to appear in at least three episodes.
Marvel has not made any statement on the matter, but a report suggested that Majors could stay in the franchise through Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars.
Furthermore, Disney is going through with the release of another of Majors' projects (via Searchlight Pictures), Magazine Dreams, which is set to hit theaters on December 8.
Marvel Exec on Majors' "Complicated Situation"
In an interview with Buzzfeed, Marvel Studios Production & Development executive and Loki Season 2 executive producer Kevin Wright called Jonathan Majors' arrest, and its surrounding controversies, "a complicated situation," though Marvel as a whole has remained silent on the matter.
Wright admitted that he wasn't sure "how [fans would] react" to Majors' return as Kang the Conqueror, but he hopes "the story and ... all the performances" will "engross" audiences nonetheless:
"I couldn’t say how they’ll react. My hope is they are engrossed by the story and not only his performance, but all the performances."
He acknowledged that "it is a complicated situation," seemingly referring to Majors' arrest. But, he remains hopeful that "people will embrace it and enjoy it" for its performances and story:
"There’s a reason why I said it’s the story we set out to make, it’s a good story and it’s really beautifully performed by everybody. So my hope is that people will embrace it and enjoy it, but I also understand that it’s a complicated situation."
Earlier in October, Wright spoke to Variety about how they produced "the story we set out to make," and in sticking to the plan they had, "no" changes were made to the story following Majors' arrest:
Variety: "You mentioned He Who Remains and Victor Timely. You finished shooting Season 2 in 2022, but did Jonathan Majors’ arrest for assault in March result in any changes to the show?"
Wright: "No... The story that is on screen is the story we set out to make. We went out there with a very specific idea of what we wanted this to be, and we found a way to tell it in that production period."
Wright also confirmed there was not even a discussion on reducing Majors' role after the alleged assault, citing the situation's uncertainty. He explained, "It felt hasty to do anything without knowing how all of this plays out:"
Variety: "It’s clear that Majors plays an integral role this season, and you just alluded that Marvel usually does additional photography on all its titles. So was there any discussion about making changes to the show, given the uncertainty about what was happening with Majors?"
Wright: "No. And that mainly came from — I know as much as you do at the moment. It felt hasty to do anything without knowing how all of this plays out."
Strict Plans for Jonathan Majors' Kang
Marvel does have a history of re-shoots and additional photography, as Variety alluded to.
Titles like Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, Ms. Marvel, and even November's The Marvels have all seen changes in reshoots, though some changes were bigger than others.
As such, even a slight reduction in the Majors' role following a very public arrest and trial process, and the many subsequent allegations that surfaced in the situation's wake doesn't seem like something that would be too difficult for Marvel to implement.
However, Wright's explanation that the "specific idea" for Loki Season 2's story implies that potential changes to Majors' role could impact more than just Loki's story internally.
Though Loki has stuck to its corner of the MCU fairly consistently, it does exist in this larger franchise universe. Things that happen in Loki could have ramifications for various future projects. As such, it would make sense if Kang's story couldn't really be changed without messing up other productions in development.
The first episode of Loki Season 2 is currently streaming on Disney+.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
