During a roundtable interview at Disney Headquarters, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige discussed the decision to replace Jonathan Majors’ Kang with Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom as the primary villain of the Multiverse Saga. Feige claimed that Jonathan Majors’ legal issues were not the actual reason behind the character swap, instead suggesting that narrative considerations had prompted the change well before Majors’ arrest.
Feige explained that the creative team had begun questioning Kang’s role as a villain comparable to Thanos even before the controversies around Majors arose. He stated,
“Even before what had happened to [Jonathan Majors], we had started to realize that Kang wasn’t Thanos.”
—Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios President
According to Feige, only one character could match Thanos’ stature, a role Doctor Doom had filled in the comics for decades. The Fox acquisition finally gave Marvel the rights to use Doctor Doom, and conversations with Robert Downey Jr. began early in the process. Feige added,
“There was only one character that could be that because he was that in the comics for decades and decades, and because of the Fox acquisition, we finally had it, and that’s Doctor Doom.”
He went further, saying,
“We had started talking about Doctor Doom even before we officially pivoted from Kang.”
and confirmed,
“In fact, I had started talking with Robert about this audacious idea before Ant-Man 3 even came out.”
Fan Backlash and Doubts Over Feige’s Explanation
Marvel fans quickly reacted on social media, expressing skepticism and accusing Feige of misrepresenting the facts. Many blamed the writing of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania for undermining Kang’s credibility as the next major MCU villain. Several users criticized Feige’s claim that the replacement plan predated Jonathan Majors’ legal issues, pointing to the film’s mid-credits scene which prominently set up Kang as a future threat.
One user expressed disappointment in how Kang was handled, posting,
“I think Jonathan Majors did a great job portraying Kang the Conqueror, which may be the most wasted character in MCU.”
—@te_Neil_et, Social Media User
Others focused on the perceived problems with Kang’s characterization in Ant-Man 3. For example, @Themoviebinge87 lamented,
“When the supposedly most menacing variant of all the Kangs gets beat by a 3rd tier character and a bunch of ants, the entire thing loses credibility. Wrote themselves into a corner on that one.”
In meme replies mocking Feige’s statements, X user @blackiewashere shared an image of Anthony Mackie with the caption,
“When you know they lying but you still listening.”
On Discussing Film’s post about the news, fan criticism intensified. User @ResonantJustice questioned the consistency of Feige’s remarks by referencing the earlier planned Avengers movie featuring Kang, arguing,
“Is that why they made plans for a completely different Avengers movie than the one we’re currently getting when Ant-Man was coming out? and had a huge post-credit scene teasing the Council of Kangs?”
The user concluded,
“Come on lol. Nobody believes this,”
underscoring fan skepticism.
Meanwhile, @JeanLucConnery voiced strong opposition to bringing Robert Downey Jr. back as Doctor Doom, warning,
“Bringing back Jr. is a big mistake. He’s far past his recall date and won’t be able to deliver the demanding role as Dr. Doom. This will be the final nail in Marvel’s coffin.”
Community Reactions Highlight Inconsistencies and Timeline Issues
Instagram comments on the news, including those on Dexerto’s post, mirrored the distrust shown across social platforms. Many fans pointed out contradictions between Feige’s timeline and Marvel’s public releases. On Reddit, fans dismissed Feige’s claim that Kang’s removal was planned well before Majors’ arrest, citing Kang’s significant presence in the MCU.
One popular Reddit post in the r/marvelstudios subreddit stated,
“Nah I think this is rubbish,”
going on to enumerate Kang’s appearances,
“He featured in Loki S1 finale, Antman (including post-credit scene, which I thought was pretty chilling and well done), and Loki S2.”
The comment argued,
“He was clearly going to be the big bad for this phase. Maybe RDJ as Doom was a plan at some point further in the future post-Kang, but they would have gone through with Kang beforehand had the legal issues not come up.”
Robert Downey Jr.’s return as Doctor Doom was not officially announced until July 28, 2024, at the San Diego Comic-Con, over a year after Jonathan Majors was arrested for assault. Majors’ legal troubles escalated within a month of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’s release, a fact fans believe contradicts Feige’s timeline.
The Mid-Credits Scene Debate: Kang’s Role Undermined?
The contentious mid-credits scene of Quantumania remains a key issue for many fans. It featured the Council of Kangs—including variants Rama-Tut, Scarlet Centurion, and Immortus—implying a towering future threat across the multiverse. This setup suggested that Kang was intended to be the central villain moving forward, raising doubts about the sincerity of Marvel’s pivot to Doctor Doom so soon.
Users on the r/shittymoviedetails subreddit expressed frustration, asking,
“We were already planning on scrapping Kang before Ant-Man 3 came out… which is why we left in that Council of Kangs mid-credit scene.”
Many fans feel this unresolved plot thread signals that Marvel abruptly abandoned Kang’s storyline without adequate build-up for Doctor Doom, leaving audiences confused about the direction of the Multiverse Saga.
Debate Over Villain Impact: Kang Versus Doctor Doom
The comparison between Kang and Doctor Doom continues to divide fans. Some argue that Kang has always been a villain on par with—or even greater than—Thanos in terms of power and MCU significance. One Reddit user dismissed Feige’s reasoning that Thanos was a bigger villain than Kang, stating,
“That is ridiculous, Thanos was as big as Kang before the MCU so that makes no sense. I don’t doubt that the flop of Antman 3 was a major reason for scrapping the character instead of just recasting him, but this is just ridiculous.”
Despite Thanos’s raw strength, Kang’s mastery of multiverse travel and manipulation arguably gives him unmatched threat potential. The character’s clever deployment in Loki seasons one and two and in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has reinforced his importance as a multifaceted antagonist.
Many fans suggest that Marvel could have continued developing Kang into a villain as impactful as Thanos, and that recasting Jonathan Majors might have been a better option than removing the character entirely—a strategy Marvel has so far declined to pursue.
Conversely, some fans point out that Doctor Doom is a legendary adversary within Marvel comics, particularly as the central villain of Secret Wars, which is often regarded as one of the greatest crossover events. A three-year-old thread on the r/MCUTheories subreddit even speculated that Kang’s story arc would eventually lead to Doctor Doom becoming the ultimate antagonist.
However, many feel the transition from Kang to Doctor Doom has been rushed, providing little opportunity to establish Downey’s Doom as a threatening villain. This leaves a gap for audiences, who are more familiar with Majors’ portrayal of Kang and thus may not yet appreciate the full menace Doctor Doom could represent.
Fan Frustration Reflects Broader Concerns About MCU’s Direction
The ongoing debate over the Jonathan Majors Kang replacement controversy highlights significant tension between Marvel’s creative decisions and fan expectations. The conflicting timelines, unresolved plot elements, and sudden casting shifts have fueled a sense of mistrust among dedicated followers of the MCU.
Marvel’s bold casting of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom may offer exciting new possibilities for future storylines, but fans are left questioning the handling of Kang’s character arc and its abrupt conclusion. How the Multiverse Saga unfolds from here remains a critical point of interest for audiences, who hope Marvel can reconcile these narrative challenges moving forward.
