Jonathan Majors Reveals Kang’s Power Source in ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’
Fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies are about to get a close look at the new direction of the long-running superhero franchise. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania marks the start of Phase 5 of the MCU. And the film isn’t just seeding hints of what’s to come — it’s the first appearance of Kang the Conqueror, the main antagonist of the next few years of the Marvel slate.
Comics readers are deeply familiar with the time-traveling villain, a longtime foe of the Avengers across decades of comics. But what has MCU point man Kevin Feige come up with for his unique take on the character?
‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ kicks off the new phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is not the film most MCU fans assumed would be their introduction to Phase 5. The two previous films — now rounded out as a trilogy helmed by director Peyton Reed — were lighthearted fare. Sure, there were some serious beats, even some moments of existential terror, but primarily these were comedy movies.
Quantumania veers away from that tone, in favor of a science-tinged adventure through unseen corners of the MCU. But, if the trailer is any indication, the presence of Kang drags the beloved Ant-Man players in a darker direction.
Indiewire reports that this risky decision is leading to mixed reviews from critics. That’s the nature of a major tonal shift like this. The major point of comparison is to another Disney property, Star Wars, which will likely make many fans happy to delve into the side of the multiverse Kang inhabits.
New MCU big bad Jonathan Majors already debuted on Disney Plus
Quantumania is the first appearance of Kang in the MCU. It is not actually the first appearance of Kang actor Jonathan Majors. As with all things Marvel, there were major hints of what was to come seeded in seemingly unrelated media.
In this case, it was the Disney Plus series Loki. According to The Wrap, Majors appeared as a character called He Who Remains. The sharp-eyed among you may notice that this entity was not named “Kang.”
Indeed, this is a different universe’s version of Kang. That concept — the multiverse — was a huge part of Phase 4 of the MCU. As He Who Remains, Majors introduces himself as a bridge from one story arc to the next. You met someone warning of Kang, but the real deal is somewhere else, and he’s about to make himself known across the multiverse.
The mysteries of Kang’s power are unveiled in the new ‘Ant-Man’ film
Majors talked about taking on the role in an interview on the Fandango YouTube channel promoting Quantumania. He’s seemingly ecstatic about playing the notorious Avengers big bad, beaming as he talks about how it felt to find his performance on set.
“The promise of every day on set, you know there’s an epic promise, of like, you’re kinging. You’re kinging it,” the actor said while smiling widely.
But his tone changes somewhat as he delves into Kang’s motivations. The brutal time traveling villain has taken over a place called The Quantum Realm, lording over all life there. But he is also trapped in that space — isolated by his own power.
“Something I’ve found so interesting is his pain, and suffering, and this discomfort, and frustration with society and the world,” Majors elaborated. “And that friction has allowed him to make himself into the super villain that you see.”
Why he decided to seize this level of power, and where that journey leads him will be revealed in Quantumania. But the story doesn’t end there. His impact on Phase 5 culminates in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty in mid-2025, followed months later by Avengers: Secret Wars.
