The official announcement that “Avengers 5” will now be titled “Doomsday” and that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the franchise to play the villainous Victor Von Doom/Doctor Doom has put the final nail in the coffin of Kang the Conqueror. Following the lackluster reception to “Ant Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” there were questions about whether Kang and his variants were interesting enough to be the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s next big bad.
When Jonathan Majors was arrested in March 2023, it threw everything into chaos, with fans wondering if he would even return as the character. In “Loki” Season 2, it seemed like the powers that be made an effort to finish his story and move on from the time-bending villain. If that wasn’t enough evidence, the actor was reportedly fired after he was found guilty of reckless assault and harassment in a highly publicized assault trial.
The big news about Downey Jr.’s return came on Saturday at Marvel Studios’ panel at San Diego Comic-Con. His casting also signals that producers and directors are still committed to the Multiverse Saga, just not the plans they had with Kang.
TMZ caught up with Majors and he said he was “heartbroken” about the news, confirming his love for Kang, as well as his variants Victor Timely and He Who Remains. He also offered thoughts on Downey Jr. and “The Flash” star Ezra Miller getting second chances with their careers following very public legal troubles. The “Iron Man” star’s addiction issues led to multiple arrests, causing the actor to basically start over from the bottom. Now he’s one of the biggest names in the business and just won an Oscar.
“I think it’s fair that Mr. Downey has been greeted with patience and curiosity and love. Mr. Miller’s gotten the same treatment and they’re being allowed to work at they’re art and be creative at that level,” he said. “I didn’t really get that.”
History tells us that Black actors don’t typically receive the same grace and understanding that white actors do. While Will Smith’s popularity and longevity puts him on a different level than other actors, the road to redemption isn’t as easy for Black stars.
The fact that Majors’ downfall came just as he was reaching the next step in his career makes his situation even more difficult. By Hollywood standards, he’s still pretty early in his controversy cycle. He may have to wait a while for a friend to take a chance on him, then he has to deliver a performance so brilliant, other directors line up to work with him. That’s usually how these stories play out. It’s essentially just a waiting game.