Marvel Reportedly Considering Bringing Back Robert Downey Jr. And ScarJo As Jonathan Majors Scandal Leaves MCU In Peril: “Marvel Is Truly F***ed”

The future of Marvel has been up in the air since actor Jonathan Majors was arrested in March following a domestic dispute that later prompted others to come forward with various allegations of abuse against the actor. Majors was set up to become the next big bad for the franchise, but the news has forced Kevin Feige and Marvel to recalibrate their plans.

According to a new report from Variety, the studio has explored multiple options on how to forward without the actor – including bringing back some of the original Avengers.

The report claims the studio considered bringing back the original gang for another Avengers movie, including Robert Downey Jr.‘s Iron Man and Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow. Both characters had been killed off in Avengers: Endgame, but that reportedly wasn’t enough to deter the possibility. The report notes the studio hasn’t “committed to the idea” yet, and notes that it would come at a steep cost. By the time he made Iron Man 3, Downey Jr.’s salary was a whopping $25 million.

They also pitched the idea of switching gears and introducing a new villain to the franchise, namely Dr. Doom.

With Loki Season 2, Majors’ Kang the Conqueror was being set up as the next big bad for the superheroes to face. As a “top dealmaker” put it in the report, “Marvel is truly fucked with the whole Kang angle.”

Another source claimed the studio had already been considering moving away from making more movies with Kang after Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania underperformed in the box office.

“It gave people pause given that Quantumania didn’t exactly land,” the source said. The report also notes that Disney removed Magazine Dreams, another one of the actor’s films, from its release calendar.

After his arrest in March, Disney executives were reportedly willing to wait and see how it would play out since filming for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty was not set to begin until 2024. But, as more allegations came to light against Majors and other victims began cooperating with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, that no longer became a feasible option.

Majors was also swiftly dropped by his managers and publicists soon after the arrest made headlines.

A judge recently denied Majors’ motion to dismiss the case. He is now set to stand trial in November.

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse, help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 800-799-7233, or text START to 88788.