- Jonathan Majors has been embroiled in an ugly court battle
- He was accused of abuse and assault of his ex-girlfriend
- The courts have handed him THIS verdict now
The once-celebrated star faced a Manhattan jury's wrath, being found guilty of reckless assault and harassment. This bombshell verdict comes after a dramatic two-week trial linked to a March incident with his ex, Grace Jabbari. Before the scandal, Majors was the golden boy of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, pegged to be the big bad in the form of "Kang the Conqueror" for years to come.
Majors' career could well be over now
This time-traveling terror was set to wreak havoc in 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,' 'Loki,' and the much-anticipated 'Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.' But now, with the script still in the works and no director on board, Marvel's left scrambling!
Majors was acquitted on another assault charge and one count of aggravated harassment against ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari. Jonathan, who was present in court on Monday, held a straight a face while the verdict was being read. He left the courthouse without commenting to members of the media.
'We are gratified to see justice served by today’s guilty verdict. Ms. Jabbari testified publicly and truthfully, even though reliving these traumatic events on the witness stand was obviously painful," Jabbari’s attorneys said in a statement on Monday. "We are grateful to the jurors and the Judge for their attention and patience, and to the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for their hard work and support."
In a statement to CNN on Monday afternoon, Priya Chaudhry, an attorney for Majors, said he "still has faith in the process and looks forward to fully clearing his name."
The Manhattan DA also had choice words for Majors:
"The evidence presented throughout this trial illustrated a cycle of psychological and emotional abuse, and escalating patterns of coercion far too common across the many intimate partner violence cases we see each and every day. Today, a jury determined that pattern of abuse and coercion culminated with Mr. Majors assaulting and harassing his girlfriend. We thank the jury for its service and the survivor for bravely telling her story despite having to relive her trauma on the stand."
Soon after his March arrest, Majors was fired by his manager 360 Entertainment and publicist The Lede Company.
What happens now?
Shortly after news of the verdict, a source with knowledge of the matter told CNN that Marvel Studios would not be moving forward on any future projects with Majors, who was set to star as the villainous Kang in the upcoming 'Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.'
What's the house of heroes to do? They could cast a new "Kang", but who'd dare step into such controversial shoes? Or, they might cook up a fresh foe to face the "Avengers". While Marvel lips are sealed, whispers suggest they're already rewriting the script, with "Loki" mastermind Michael Waldron penning what's now dubbed 'Avengers 5.'
Marvel's no stranger to recasting – remember Terrence Howard and Edward Norton's exits? But those were over money and creative clashes, not courtroom drama. And let's not forget the late William Hurt's recent replacement by Harrison Ford. But Majors' case is a different beast altogether.
Once hailed as Hollywood's next big thing, Majors' star burned bright with roles in 'Creed III' and 'The Last Black Man in San Francisco.
But his latest project, 'Magazine Dreams,' is now in jeopardy, with distributor Searchlight hitting pause amid the legal chaos.
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So it begins
So it begins...
The drama unfolds
The plot thickened when Majors himself dialed 911, claiming to find Jabbari unconscious in their New York pad. But the cops found more than they bargained for – a bruised and fractured finger, a cut behind an ear. Despite pleading not guilty, Majors' fate was sealed.
The aftermath? A PR nightmare. After The Lede Company and Entertainment 360 have cut ties, and WME might be next. It's a Hollywood tale as old as time: one minute you're in, the next you're out. Stay tuned, folks, as this saga is far from over!
