As we prepare to jump back into the timeline chaos of the TVA in Loki Season 2—premiering Oct. 5 at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Disney+—we have a lot of questions about what’s coming in the next chapter of the story. Leading the list is Jonathan Majors’ place in the timeline and the franchise as a whole. Back in March, the Kang actor was arrested on assault charges in what NYPD officers called a “domestic dispute.” As details of the alleged assault were made public, questions began to swirl about whether the Creed III star would be recast as the MCU’s big bad, Kang the Conqueror.
Marvel Studios has remained quiet on Majors’ legal issues, and he’s set to appear as Kang variant Victor Timely in Season 2, which was filmed in 2022, so we still don’t really know what his MCU status is. Executive producer Kevin Wright told Variety that the series’ lack of reshoots means there were no changes after production. He also revealed that since the case is still ongoing—the next hearing date is set for Oct. 25—they didn’t want to make any huge decisions.
“I know as much as you do at the moment,” Wright said. “It felt hasty to do anything without knowing how all of this plays out.”
While it’s understandable that Marvel would want to wait until the facts of the case have played out to decide on the actor’s future with the franchise, if they wanted to make a casting change, Loki is the best place to do it.
The Key to Recasting Kang
If Marvel does decide to recast, Loki is the most logical, unobtrusive place to do it. Yes, they can always do what they did with Terrence Howard and Don Cheadle for Rhodey, and never acknowledge the switch. But the time travel aspect of the series provides them with an interesting story opportunity.
In Season 1, we saw multiple fascinating variants of Loki. From a child, to a frog, to Richard E. Grant’s unforgettable Classic Loki, to Sophia Di Martino’s heart-breaking, scene-stealing Sylvie, it was made very clear that we can be introduced to new versions of old favorites at any moment. So, why can’t the same be true of new favorites?
As Loki and Mobius work to fix the timeline, we could find a corner of the universe where Majors’ Kang has hidden other variants, played by various actors, then have the time travel craziness lead to a drastic switch where one of these other Kangs becomes the primary variant.
It fits with the series’ story and brings some much needed freshness to the MCU’s current arc. We got a glimpse of the various Kangs in the post-credits scene of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, but that doesn’t mean things can’t change.
If Marvel Studios recasts Kang, it will be big news no matter when it happens. The best way to minimize the controversy is to do it as a surprise in the Season 2 finale, which leaves fans buzzing about the characters’ next appearance in the franchise.
Loki Season 2 premieres new episodes every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on Disney+.