Jonathan Majors’ Ex-Girlfriend Drops Charges: Can He Return to Marvel?
It’s been a dramatic few months for Jonathan Majors. After being arrested for physically assualting his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari, he lost his deal with the Marvel Cinematic Universe; he had been playing Kang the Conqueror in previous films and TV series; he was set to play the character again in the 2026 film Avengers: The Kang Dynasty with the movie revolving around his story arc.
The Legal Issue
Majors was convicted and found guilty in December 2023. After the guilty conviction, MCU terminated their deal with him. He was sentenced for a 52-week in-person domestic violence intervention program.
However, Jabbari recently dropped charges against the actor. Per Entertainment Weekly, Jabbari and Majors asked a judge to dismiss the defamation and assault lawsuit filed by Jabbari. According to Jabbari’s lawyer, Brittany Henderson, in a statement, “Grace Jabbari has exhibited tremendous courage throughout this very long and difficult process. As a result of her commitment to justice, the lawsuit that she filed against Jonathan Majors has been favorably settled. We hope that she can finally put this chapter behind her and move forward with her head held high.”
The Fallout
Aside from being removed from the MCU (the Avengers: The Kang Dynasty was reworked into Avengers: Doomsday featuring Doctor Doom as the main antagonist instead of Majors’ Kang the Conqueror), he was also dropped from the movie 48 Hours in Las Vegas, a movie about Dennis Rodman and the adaptation of the novel The Man in My Basement.
The United States Army also suspended their recruiting commercials that featured Majors. His management company, Entertainment 360 and PR firm, The Lede Company, also terminated their agreements with the actor. His invitation to the 2023 Met Gala was also rescinded.
What Happens Now?
Even after the charges were dropped, it doesn’t automatically mean Majors can return to his life before the assault. The damage to his public image has already been done, and there’s no telling if the entertainment industry will be forgiving or willing to welcome him back. Hollywood, particularly Marvel, tends to be cautious when hiring actors involved in controversy, as the backlash can be severe and seriously impact any project. The negative publicity surrounding Majors isn’t going away anytime soon either.
Can Jonathan Majors Return to Marvel?
The answer to this question is complicated, as there are numerous factors to consider. The public’s perception of him will always be marred by controversy. Fans and the media have been following the case, and the “cancel culture” sentiment is still rampant in Tinseltown. Another thing to consider is that Marvel Studios is part of Disney, which is known for distancing itself from scandals and negative publicity due to its strict moral guidelines. Moreover, the planned movie for his character has already been reworked, and the MCU has already seen how they can move forward without Majors in the picture.
However, Marvel has changed their stance on talent before. They fired Guardians of the Galaxy director/writer James Gunn in 2018 due to some offensive tweets made years earlier. But they rehired him the following year after his public apology and after meeting privately with him. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was released in 2023 and grossed $845 million. Maybe there’s a chance that Majors’ Kang can return to the Marvel Universe in some capacity.
