Marvel drops Jonathan Majors after guilty verdict on assault charges
Marvel Studios and Walt Disney have cut ties with actor Jonathan Majors, known for his role as Kang the Conqueror in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This decision comes in the wake of Majors's conviction on two misdemeanor counts of harassment and assault against his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, revealed on Monday. Scheduled for sentencing in February, Majors could potentially face up to a year in prison, reported Variety.
Majors and British dancer Jabbari's relationship
The ex-couple first crossed paths in 2021 while working on Marvel's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which was released just a month before Majors's arrest. Jabbari (a British dancer) served as a movement coach, while Majors portrayed the time-traveling villain, Kang. The couple were together for two years.
Here's what exactly happened
Majors was arrested on March 25 after Jabbari accused him of assaulting her in a car. The incident reportedly occurred when Jabbari discovered a text on Majors's phone reading, "Wish I was kissing you right now." Prosecutors claim Majors forcibly retrieved the phone, grabbing Jabbari, twisting her arm, and striking her in the head. Jabbari testified, "I felt like a hard blow across my head." Majors denied the allegations, contending that Jabbari was the aggressor during the phone retrieval.
Unsettling texts, audio messages served as evidence during trial
During the two-week trial, a series of unsettling texts and audio recordings were used as evidence. In one message, Majors tried to dissuade Jabbari from going to the hospital after a head injury. The actor conveyed in another, "I'm a monster...a horrible man. Not capable of love," while also threatening suicide. In an audio recording, Majors told Jabbari that she needed to act like Coretta Scott King and Michelle Obama—the wives of Martin Luther King Jr. and Barack Obama.
Majors's 911 call recording also became key evidence
Jurors reportedly listened to the 911 call made by Majors the morning after the incident, triggering the NYPD's domestic violence investigation and his subsequent arrest on March 25. He reported finding his ex-partner "unconscious in his apartment," claiming "he had just returned from staying at a hotel and didn't know what happened." Prosecutors presented police-taken photos revealing Jabbari's injuries, including a cut to her ear and what appeared to be a bruised and swollen finger.
Career fallout for Majors
Since his arrest, Majors has been dropped by his talent manager, Entertainment 360, and his publicity firm. He is no longer involved with the Protagonist Pictures film The Man in My Basement. The Texas Rangers baseball team has also withdrawn ad campaigns featuring Majors. Several other projects, including Spike Lee's Da Understudy and the Dennis Rodman film 48 Hours in Vegas, remain uncertain. Searchlight Pictures has removed Magazine Dreams from its release schedule, where Majors portrayed a troubled bodybuilder.
What's next for Marvel after Majors's exit?
With Majors's departure, Marvel executives, led by studio chief Kevin Feige, face tough creative choices, such as whether to recast Kang or cancel The Kang Dynasty and rework the rest of the Multiverse Saga. The interconnected nature of the Marvel Cinematic Universe means that any decision could have expensive consequences at a time when parent company Disney is becoming more cost-conscious.
