Jonathan Majors is "heartbroken" after hearing Kang the Conqueror is being replaced by Doctor Doom with Robert Downey Jr. in the role.
In a brief interview with TMZ, the embattled actor was asked if he was disappointed with Marvel's decision to cast Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom in two Avengers movies. "Yeah, heartbroken," he said. "Yeah of co–Come on, come on, of course. I love him. I love Kang."
Initially, Majors was attached to be the lead villain in the next two Avengers movies, starting with The Kang Dynasty. The actor was dropped by Disney last year after he was found guilty of assaulting and harassing his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari. The news left the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in limbo. But at Comic-Con last week, it was announced that Robert Downey Jr. is set to return to the MCU as Doctor Doom. He previously portrayed Tony Stark aka Iron Man up until the character's death in Avengers: Endgame. To reflect the pivot, the next Avengers movie is now titled Doomsday.
Majors suggested that he's still excited to see the introduction of Doctor Doom, one of Marvel's most famous villains, indicating his negative feelings are more about the loss of Kang than RDJ becoming the new MCU big bad.
The interviewer highlighted that Downey, and more recently Ezra Miller, have had problems with the law in the past but have continued to get big opportunities in Hollywood. Asked if it's "unfair," Majors replied, "I think it's fair that Mr. Downey has been greeted with patience and curiosity and love, and that Mr. Miller has gotten the same treatment, and that they're being allowed to work their art and be creative at that level. I didn't really get that, so."
Majors was asked if he wished he was offered the same opportunity as those actors–even though Miller hasn't appeared in anything since the critical and commercial DC bomb The Flash–and he said, "That's hard, I mean, c'mon, yeah." The interviewer also asked if he had an idea why he hadn't been offered the same opportunities
"Wow," Majors responded. He also reiterated that he would love to return to the role of Kang if offered. "I love Kang... If that's what the fans want, if that's what Marvel wants, let's roll. Hell yeah."
Downey has been through his share of controversy throughout his career. After getting his start in acting during the '80s, he suffered issues with substance abuse which resulted in several arrests and him getting fired from Ally McBeal. He has been sober since 2003, gradually making a comeback with acclaimed performances in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Zodiac, and Tropic Thunder. He was considered a major risk for the role of Tony Stark when he helped launch the MCU with Iron Man in 2008.
According to reports, Downey's return to the MCU will earn him "significantly more" than the $80 million returning director duo Anthony and Joe Russo will earn for the two movies.
Majors, meanwhile, landed his first major role post-controversy in June. He has been cast in Martin Villeneuve's supernatural revenge thriller Merciless, marking his first role since he starred in season two of the Disney+ series Loki.