Marvel Studios is facing netizens’ backlash for dropping Jonathan Majors within hours of the assault and harassment verdict while continuing to work with Ezra Miller and Amber Heard. The rising actor starred as Kang The Conqueror in ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania‘ and was preparing to star in ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty‘ when he was fired. Read ahead to find out about Majors’s verdict and netizens’ reactions.
Marvel Studios and Disney drop Jonathan Majors over Guilty Verdict
On December 18, a Manhattan jury found Majors guilty of misdemeanor and violation while finding him guilty of 3rd-degree assault and 2nd-degree harassment but non-guilty of intended assault and aggravated harassment. The verdict of the jury was reached after a two-week trial filed by New York state to support his former girlfriend, Grace Jabbari.
Marvel Studios has fired Jonathan Majors. pic.twitter.com/DpRkWGwrLQ
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) December 18, 2023
Before the assault case, the actor was on his path to fame as Marvel and Disney’s Kang The Conqueror and was going to lead the 2026 Avengers movie. However, he was dropped from the project after he was found guilty in the March 2023 case.
For the unversed, Majors called 911 after his former partner lost consciousness at their New York apartment on March 25. The initial investigation reported bruises, a fractured finger, and an injury behind her ears to which Majors pled non-guilty.
They were going to do it regardless. This was just the excuse they needed. I still don’t see what the hell that jury was doing by finding him not guilty, but guilty. If there were any reasonable doubt in this case, should have been a full acquittal. Appeal. #JonathanMajors pic.twitter.com/MUnPmViDuh
— G-Rich (@GavMRich2786) December 18, 2023
During the trial, Jabbari revealed that she suffered the injuries during a fight that occurred hours before the fainting incident in their car. She found a flirty message on his phone and they ended up in a snatching fight where Majors allegedly hit her and shoved her into the vehicle. The defense attorney claimed Majors placed her insider to protect her from traffic.
CCTV footage also captured the scene of Majors carefully placing her inside the vehicle as opposed to the alleged shoving. However, the footage didn’t capture their fight in the car which relates to the first three charges of misdemeanor.
Netizens criticize Marvel Studios
Jonathan Majors was dropped by his publicity and managing firm Lede Company, and Management 360 after the incident made headlines. Following the recent jury verdict, Marvel Studios and Disney also cut ties with him.
In this challenging time many netizens have come forward to defend him stating that while he is guilty and deserves punishment for his mistakes, the expulsion by studios are alleged result of prejudice.
Ezra Miller was arrested for second-degree assault in Hawaii, was released and within a year was on the red carpet of a movie premier.
Jonathan Majors called the cops to save his girls life and is looking at 2 years in jail as a result of that. pic.twitter.com/xGiC2MQ10R
— Eon1 (@Eon1Eno) December 18, 2023
They have presented the case of Ezra Miller who was arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and harassment in 2022 but he was excused with a $500 fine. Just one month later he was again arrested for second-degree assault and later accused of grooming, manipulation, harassment, burglary, and trespassing.
Most of these charges were either dropped or not taken to court while he received one-month probation, medical help, and a fine of $500. Soon after the trailer of his film The Flash was released at the Super Bowl and he also attended the movie’s premiere in 2023.
The fact that Marvel can act that fast in firing a black actor while DC let Ezra Miller and Amber Heard keep their jobs is infuriating.
— nøahh.©️ (@noahhhhh5_) December 18, 2023
Similarly, Amber Heard was found guilty in the infamous Johnny Depp-Amber Heard case and was sentenced to pay $15 million in punitive charges which were later reduced to $10 million. She continued to star in the DCU film Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom with a few scene cuts.
Due to this, netizens believe that Marvel Studios is allegedly being racist by dropping Jonathan Majors while supporting other actors who too faced legal battles. The court will sentence Jonathan Majors on February 6 but it will take longer for the actor to return to the screens.
