Jonathan Majors has been dropped by Marvel Studios after a New York City jury found him guilty of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, The Independent understands.
Majors debuted his role as Kang the Conqueror, the next major villain in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, earlier this year in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
The jury found the Marvel star, 34, guilty of one count of third-degree assault and one count of harassment, but acquitted him of another count of assault and one aggravated harassment count.
Majors was arrested in March in New York after his former partner Grace Jabbari accused him of slapping her and throwing her into the car after she exited it, twisting her arm and grabbing and injuring her hand. Majors has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty on all four charges.
He is due for sentencing on 6 February and faces up to one year in prison.
Majors’s Kang was set to be a major player in the MCU’s fifth and sixth phases, with storylines revolving around his bid for world domination.
Jonathan Majors in ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’— (Marvel Studios)
However, in September, Marvel executives, including studio chief Kevin Feige, reportedly gathered in Palm Springs to discuss “backup plans, including pivoting to another comic book adversary, like Dr Doom”.
Today, CNN also spoke to an anonymous source at WME – a major Hollywood talent agency that represents Majors – about the actor’s future. “If Marvel drops him, that would be a big indicator of his future,” the source said. “If he’s found guilty… there’s nothing to represent.”
Jabbari, who is British, met Majors while working as a movement coach on Marvel’s Quantumania.
After news of the allegations broke, Majors was dropped by his management team, while the US Army pulled a number of advertisements featuring the actor from circulation. He was also reportedly dropped from a forthcoming adaptation of the Walter Mosley novel The Man in My Basement.
Another forthcoming Majors project, Magazine Dreams, has been removed from Walt Disney Studios’ release calendar.
After the verdict was delivered on Monday, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg issued a statement, saying: “At the Manhattan D.A.’s Office, we are committed to centering survivors in all of our work. The evidence presented throughout this trial illustrated a cycle of psychological and emotional abuse, and escalating patterns of coercion far too common across the many intimate partner violence cases we see each and every day.
“Today, a jury determined that pattern of abuse and coercion culminated with Mr. Majors assaulting and harassing his girlfriend. We thank the jury for its service and the survivor for bravely telling her story despite having to relive her trauma on the stand.”
The national domestic abuse helpline offers support for women on 0808 2000 247, or you can visit the Refuge website. There is a dedicated men’s advice line on 0808 8010 327. Those in the US can call the domestic violence hotline on 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org
