A new rumor details what Marvel Studios plans to focus on following the firing of actor Jonathan Majors, who was set to be their main villain in the Multiverse Saga as Kang the Conqueror.
Jonathan Majors as Kang The Conqueror in Marvel Studios’ ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2022 MARVEL.
The Hollywood Reporter’s Aaron Couch and Borys Kit previously detailed the company has two courses it could take either recast the role or rework their storyline and take it in a new direction.
Kit and Couch seemed to settle on the idea that they will take the later option noting, “Marvel hired Loki creator Michael Waldron to work on a new draft of what was once called Kang Dynasty, but is now being referred to as Avengers 5, according to sources.”
The two added, “The studio has had months to plan for such an eventuality, and it’s possible that Waldon was part of that course correction.”
(L-R): Jonathan Majors as Kang The Conqueror in Marvel Studios’ ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.
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While those options are hyper-focused on Majors’ role as Kang the Conqueror and the previously announced Avengers: Kang Dynasty, a new rumor claims Marvel has a number of other plans in the works.
Alex Perez of the Cosmic Circus claims, “Their plan atm is to focus on individual story arcs like Devil Reign, the rise of the Midnight Suns, the coming of Mutants, while slowly building up to a threat ‘beyond the Multiverse’ that we will never see until 616 in absolute shambles.”
Alex Perez on X
In a follow-up he shared a gif of Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk smiling and added, “Oh, and there’s another storyline I can’t mention here yet but…”
Oh, and there’s another storyline I can’t mention here yet but… https://t.co/KEfvURCiZk pic.twitter.com/dxCuoek8c6
— Alex P. (@AlexFromCC) December 19, 2023
As for those specific plans, Devil’s Reign was a crossover event penned by Chip Zdarsky with art by Marco Checchetto that took place between 2021 and 2022 involved various Marvel characters and took place in multiple comic book series including Daredevil: Woman Without Fear, Villains For Hire, and Winter Soldier.
The official logline from Marvel reads, “Wilson Fisk went from Kingpin to mayor of the biggest city in America and is going to bring his full criminal and political power to bear on the super heroes who call NYC home. The man who once destroyed Daredevil has set his sights on The Fantastic Four, Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Man, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and more.
It continues, “And since it’s Fisk, once he takes them all down, you know he’s going to sign it. CROSSBONES! TASKMASTER! TYPHOID MARY! SHOCKER! WHIPLASH! RHINO! KRAVEN! Fisk has an ARMY of super villains at his command – and this is just his opening salvo. For years, Fisk has waited for his time to strike, and YOU WON’T BELIEVE the aces he’s got up his sleeves!”
It’s not hard to imagine they might work on adapting this storyline for their Daredevil: Born Again series that the studios is reworking.
Devil’s Reign #1 Cover art by Marco Checchetto (2021), Marvel Comics
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The Midnight Sons have been rumored to be in various stages of development at Marvel for a number of years now.
Back in May 2020, scooper Mikey Sutton detailed, “There are no plans for Daredevil to join the Avengers, tho. Marvel Knights? Close. They have talked about Daredevil joining forces with Moon Knight, the Punisher, and Ghost Rider, among others, in the Midnight Sons. It’s gradually developing so stay tuned for further updates.”
If you are unfamiliar with the Midnight Sons the team has consisted of a number of Marvel’s more supernatural characters including Ghost Rider, Blade, Morbius, Doctor Strange, and Werewolf by Night.
Daredevil could easily fit into the bunch given his Catholic background.
Ghost Rider #31 Cover art by Andy and Joe Kubert (1990), Marvel Comics
Marvel also published a brief mini series in 2022 titled Midnight Suns by Ethan Sacks and artist Luigi Zagaria. The book featured Magik, Wolverine, Blade, Spirit Rider, and Nico Minoru take on a “dark prophesy and apocalyptic new villains with horrifying powers.”
They also would face off against Doctor Doom and have a run-in with Agatha Harkness.
Midnight Suns #1 Cover art by David Nakayama (2022), Marvel Comics
As for the mutants, that shouldn’t surprise anyone given the only film on Marvel Studios‘ slate for 2024 is Deadpool 3 and will feature Hugh Jackman reprising his role as Wolverine, one of the X-Men.
Marvel Studios also featured a cameo of Professor X in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and have stated clearly that Ms. Marvel is a mutant in the Marvel Cinematic Universe rather than an Inhuman like her comic book counterpart.
Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan in Marvel Studios’ MS. MARVEL, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. ©Marvel Studios 2022. All Rights Reserved.
What do you make of these plans for Marvel Studios? Do you think any of these will help win back the viewers they have driven away in Phases 4 and 5?
NEXT: Rumor: Iron Man, Captain America, And Black Widow To Be Recast For ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’
