The Marvel fandom was rocked last year with the news that actor Jonathan Majors was facing allegations of assault and harassment against his then-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. The star broke out on the Marvel scene with Loki and was poised to take over as the MCU's biggest villain before being dropped by nearly every studio he was working with following the allegations.
Jonathan Majors shot to fame with his portrayal of He Who Remains in Season 1 of Loki, a variant of Kang the Conqueror. With his introduction into the MCU it was clear that Marvel was setting him up to be the next Thanos-level threat for the Avengers with the focus on Kang as a major villain. Majors would again star as the villain in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in 2023, although the film would become Marvel's biggest disappointment amid the controversy of Majors' assault allegations.
Last March, Majors was arrested following a domestic dispute with Jabbari and was quickly convicted of several claims of assault and harassment. Jabbari would file a lawsuit against Majors citing both of those allegations as well as infliction of emotional distress, battery, and defamation. Two other ex-girlfriends came forward with their own claims against the Marvel star, although Majors has maintained his innocence throughout the entire ordeal.
The conviction led to Majors being dropped by several projects he was working on as well as being dropped by his agent. Marvel would also eventually quietly part ways with Majors. The star would return for some final appearances Loki Season 2, but Marvel would confirm it was changing its upcoming releases, changing the next Avengers release from Avengers: The Kang Dynasty to Avengers: Doomsday, which will feature the return of Robert Downey Jr. to the MCU.
Many Marvel fans supported the studio for parting ways with Majors while others argued that DC had continued to work with Ezra Miller despite Miller's own controversial allegations and that Majors was being held to different standards. Majors himself spoke out about Robert Downey Jr. returning to Marvel despite the Iron Man star's own troubled past, stating that he would love to return to Kang and wishing he would be shown the same grace that the other superhero actors had been given.
However, the latest update to the controversy could see some Marvel upheaval once more as it was revealed that Jabbari has officially dropped the lawsuit against Majors. According to Variety, "attornies for both parties filed a joint notice with the court on Thursday, stating that 'all claims against Defendant in the above-captioned action are hereby dismissed with prejudice.'" One of Jabbari's lawyers also stated that the case had been settled "favorably."
While this ruling does not confirm whether or not the allegations are true, it has been received well in various communities on social media. Many Marvel and comic book fans have posted in support of Majors, with many demanding that Marvel bring him back and pivot back to a Kang-centered storyline for the MCU.
Although unlikely that Marvel would change its projected lineup once again, especially with the excitement and anticipation for the upcoming Fantastic Four adaptation, it does seem to show that Marvel is struggling to find favor with its audience. 2023 was a disappointing year for the studio, with Quantumania and The Marvels becoming the biggest box office failures for Marvel and their Disney+ releases falling short of previous successes. Deadpool & Wolverine was a major hit for the studio, but the news of RDJ's return was met with mixed responses and other expected projects are facing uncertain futures as well.
Overall, with the lawsuit against Jonathan Majors dropped, it could mean good news for the star's Hollywood career, which was just taking off when the allegations came out. However, whether or not it could mean a return to Marvel is uncertain. At the time of writing, Marvel has not commented on the update or implied they would consider another Kang story in the future. For now, fans will have to take comfort knowing that the suit was settled by both parties and wait to see what the future holds for Majors.