Colman Domingo Becomes Marvel's Kang In Stunning Fanart
If Marvel is going to move forward with the Multiverse Saga, then the MCU needs to recast Kang. In late 2023, the studio fired actor Jonathan Majors after a jury found him guilty of assault in the third degree and harassment in the second degree. Considering how Marvel is already slowing down their release schedule, anyway — "Deadpool 3" is the only MCU film coming out in 2024 -– Kevin Feige and his fellow bigwigs might be using that extra time to decide who will become the new multiversal conqueror. Either way, that decision may take awhile, and the internet waits for nothing. One of the most popular fan castings making the rounds is Colman Domingo.
The "Fear the Walking Dead" star, whose other credits include "Lincoln," "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts," and "The Color Purple," is such a popular choice that creative types are giving the fandom what it wants. Digital artist spdrmnkyxxiii posted an image of Domingo as Kang to their Instagram in early January 2024, with a caption that reads, "[He's] rumored to be the new actor for Kang. It has not been verified but a lot of Marvel fans are in favor of the casting. I am personally in support of this recast since Colman is a phenomenal actor!"
The artwork looks so cohesive that it would be easy, even understandable, for someone to misconstrue it as an official poster from Marvel. But Kang isn't just a perfect visual fit for Domingo; it's an ideal narrative fit, too.
Colman Domingo wants to play a super villain
During a 2021 interview with AwardsWatch, Colman Domingo said that he wants to play the villain in a superhero film. He wasn't preferential to either Marvel or DC, but he did mention that he's built a physique that would make him fit the evil mold. "I'm jumping in. When it comes to Marvel or DC, I think I'm ready now," said Domingo. "You know I'm worked out, fit. I think I want to play a villain — I just want to be the villain. I don't want to be the good guy."
While he's not broken any official ground on that front, Domingo is aware of the fan casting. He explained to Entertainment Tonight that no one had approached him regarding the role. "I know there's talk and conversations around, and I don't know how much is true. I don't even get that from my team, I can't tell if it's true or not," said the actor. "The fans are passionate. Somehow my name is out there in the world [and] I like the idea of just having your name called and someone speaking lovingly and kindly about something is a beautiful thing."
Marvel is notoriously unkind about fan casting. "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" destroyed a popular "Fantastic Four" dream casting by killing John Krasinski, and "WandaVision" turned Evan Peter's chance at reprising Quicksilver into a boner joke. All this to say, fans shouldn't take Domingo's politically lukewarm response as disinterest. He's probably just setting reasonable expectations.