It seems like Marvel Cinematic Universe is facing another setback as director Destin Cretton has departed from the studio’s upcoming ‘Avengers’ installment, ‘Avengers: Kang Dynasty’.
Cretton, who had been attached to the project since last year, made the decision which was announced shortly after San Diego Comic-Con, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
Although Jeff Loveness, the writer behind the Kang-focused feature ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’, had drafted a version of the movie, the status of the script remains uncertain following the recent end of the writer’s strike.
Despite stepping away from ‘Kang Dynasty’, Cretton remains involved in the MCU. He is actively producing the ‘Wonder Man’ TV series and is also working on a sequel to his previous success, ‘Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’. Additionally, the director is reportedly in discussions with Marvel regarding potential new projects.
Amidst a string of box office disappointments, critical backlash, and a declining fan base, ‘The Marvels’ emerged as one of the MCU’s biggest letdowns to date. With projects like ‘Blade’ undergoing complete reworks, Cretton’s departure from the ‘Shang Chi’ director's chair doesn’t spell good news for the studio.
Actor Jonathan Majors is set to portray the villainous Kang, a time-traveling scientist armed with advanced technology and unmatched intellect. Within the MCU, Kang exists in multiple variations across the multiverse, but questions loom over the actor's legal issues, adding uncertainty to the project.
While a version of Kang made an appearance in the season one finale of ‘Loki’, and another is set to antagonize in ‘Quantumania’, the film’s conclusion unveiled a Council of Kangs, featuring numerous iterations of the character played by Majors. However, Majors’ pending trial in New York for assault and harassment charges has cast doubt on his future involvement with Marvel, despite his central role in ‘Loki Season 2’.
(With Agency Inputs)
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