Jonathan Majors Lands First Major Film Role Since Domestic Assault Conviction and Firing From Marvel

Actor Jonathan Majors, best known for his roles in Da 5 Bloods, Lovecraft Country, Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania, Creed III, and Loki, has signed on to his first role since he was convicted in 2023 of domestic assault and fired from Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe. He will star in the independent revenge thriller Merciless, to be directed by Martin Villeneuve.

Martin Villeneuve, the younger brother of Dune filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, confirmed the news of Majors’ casting to Variety. Written by Frank Hannah, the film follows a CIA investigator who goes to troubling lengths after the woman he loves is overpowered by sinister forces. It’s expected to be filmed in Saskatchewan in late fall.

Majors was sentenced in April to one year of domestic violence counseling after he was found guilty of assaulting and harassing his ex-girlfriend.

Per the Manhattan judge who presided over the two-week trial, Majors must complete a 52-week in-person program in Los Angeles. So, it’s unclear how it will overlap with the shooting schedule for Merciless.

Throughout his publicized trial, Majors denied the assault allegations and maintained a desire to resume his career in Hollywood. Shortly after the guilty verdict, though, Marvel Studios severed ties with Majors, who played the central villain, Kang the Conqueror, in Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The 34-year-old actor was expected to appear in upcoming installments in the comic book franchise, including 2026’s Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.

As part of the fallout, Majors was dropped by his manager, Entertainment 360, and his publicity firm, the Lede Company. He remains repped by the talent agency WME.