Marvel drops actor Jonathan Majors after assault conviction

Jonathan Majors leaves a courtroom in New York, Monday, Dec. 18, 2023. Majors was convicted of assaulting his former girlfriend during a confrontation in New York City earlier this year. A Manhattan jury convicted the Marvel star Monday of one misdemeanor assault charge and one harassment violation. — Photo: AP

Rising Hollywood star Jonathan Majors was convicted Monday of assaulting and harassing his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari, prompting Marvel to drop him from a prime role in its superhero blockbusters.

Majors's conviction could see the actor facing up to one year imprisonment and has upended Marvel's plans for the franchise, which had his character Kang the Conqueror front and center in multiple upcoming films.

Majors debuted as Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania earlier in 2023, and was set to appear in at least two subsequent Avengers films -- the top franchise in the Marvel universe.

The studio will not be moving forward with Jonathan Majors, a source briefed on the decision told AFP after it was reported by US entertainment media.

In early March, police said they had responded to an emergency call in Manhattan, determining in a preliminary investigation that there was a domestic dispute between Majors and Jabbari.

The court heard that Majors had received a text message and Jabbari had sought to take his phone, believing the contact to be from another woman, local media reported.

There was then a struggle, with the pair's legal representatives trading accusations over who attacked whom in the ensuing tussle over the device.

"Jonathan Majors was found guilty by a Manhattan Criminal Court jury of assault in the third degree and harassment in the second degree," the prosecutor's office said in a statement.

Majors will be sentenced on February 6, it added.

"The evidence presented throughout this trial illustrated a cycle of psychological and emotional abuse, and escalating patterns of coercion," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said.

"A jury determined that pattern of abuse and coercion culminated with Mr. Majors assaulting and harassing his girlfriend."

The jury of six people spent more than five hours deliberating over three days, local media reported.

Majors has appeared in several major films, including Creed III, Lovecraft Country, for which he was nominated for an Emmy, and Magazine Dreams, a film presented at the Sundance Film Festival. — AFP