Jonathan Majors is NOT being considered for a return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe ... at least not currently ... despite reports to the contrary.
via: Daily Mail
The actor, 35, was primed to be the next big MCU villain after his brief introduction in the TV series Loki and in 2023's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantummania.
However, after he was arrested for assaulting his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari in March 2023, and later found guilty of 3rd degree reckless assault and harassment, Marvel dropped him.
Recent reports hinted that the studio was considering bringing him back, however multiple sources told TMZ on Tuesday that those reports are inaccurate.
The sources added that he has 'not engaged in any talks' with the company since he was dropped.
Last July, the actor said he was 'heartbroken' after Marvel unveiled Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom at San Diego Comic-Con, making him the new villain for the next two Avengers movies.
The studio revealed that the title of their 2026 film - Avengers: The Kang Dynasty - would be changed, confirming at SDCC that it was now called Avengers: Doomsday.
Just days after the announcement that Downey Jr. - who previously played the superhero Iron Man in the MCU before pivoting to this villainous role of Doctor Doom - was taking over as the new villain, TMZ caught up with Majors in L.A.
When asked if he was 'hurt' with the new direction that Marvel is heading in after dropping him from their films, Majors said, 'Yeah, heartbroken.'
'Come on, yeah, of course. I love him. I love Kang,' Majors added, when the reporter mentioned that Downey Jr. and DC actor Ezra Miller have had legal issues and were 'arrested for felonies' while he was only convicted of misdemeanor assault.
When asked if it was 'unfair' that he was not, 'given the same opportunities as them,' Majors said, 'I think it's fair that Mr. Downey has been greeted with patience and curiosity and love and that Mr. Miller has gotten the same treatment, and that they're being allowed to work their art. I didn't really get that, so, you know.'
Downey Jr. was arrested in 1996 for DUI, when officers found heroin, crack, cocaine and a .357 Magnum in his car.
He was sentenced to three years in prison for skipping his probation, serving one year of his three-year sentence before his release.
After several years of struggling with addiction, he ultimately got clean, and has been for many years, before his comeback that started with 2008's Iron Man.
He was ultimately pardoned in 2015 by then-California governor Jerry Brown, which restored his voting rights and allowed him to serve on a jury.
Miller has had a slew of legal issues over the past few years, including a 2022 felony burglary charge stemming from the theft of several bottles of alcohol.
Miller most recently starred in Warner Bros.' 2023 film The Flash, though he hasn't been attached to anything in the year and a half since that was released.
When asked if he thought why she thought Downey and Miller got those chances and he didn't, Majors said, 'Wow... I don't know.'
Majors was sentenced to probation and 52 weeks of a domestic violence intervention program for his misdemeanor conviction.
It was announced in June that he would star in a supernatural revenge thriller entitled Merciless for Martin Villeneuve, the younger brother of Dune director Denis Villeneuve.
In December it was revealed that his film Magazine Dreams has been assigned a theatrical release date of March 21, 2025 after it was previously dropped following the actor's conviction in connection with assaulting his ex-girlfriend, 31.
Jabbari said Majors hit her head with his open hand, twisted her arm behind her back and squeezed her middle finger until it fractured during a chaotic struggle in the back of an SUV.
She also testified that he had been controlling and manipulative during their relationship.
She accused him of having angry outbursts at home in which he would break household items by throwing them at the walls.
Jabbari also claimed that Majors tried to control who she was allowed to spend time with socially.
Majors maintained he was innocent, but in December of 2023, he was found guilty of one misdemeanor assault charge and one harassment violation.
In April, the Emmy-nominated actor was ordered to complete a yearlong counseling program but avoided jail time.
In sentencing Majors, Judge Michael Gaffey noted both sides in the case agreed the charges didn't warrant jail time and that Majors had no prior criminal record.
In November, Majors and Jabbari settled a civil lawsuit she filed against him, as both agreed to dismiss the litigation.
Despite his prior legal woes, things for the Lompoc, California-born entertainer appear to be on the upswing, as in November he revealed he is engaged to actress Meagan Good, 43.
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