Jonathan Majors has revealed how he prepared for his part as Kang the Conqueror, the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s latest big villain, saying he spent ‘hours a day’ researching the heroes he’s played against in order to be their perfect enemy.
In 2021, the 33-year-old actor made his MCU debut in the TV series Loki, starring alongside Tom Hiddleston and Time Variance Agent Mobius M. Mobius (Own Wilson).
Before Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania descended into the Quantum Realm and set up Phase Five for everyone, the episode focused heavily on the multiverse and the tangle of different histories.
That means Paul Rudd’s popular role as Scott Lang will be the first to face the big villain for Marvel.
Now that Kang is heading up to the big screen to do some more, well, conquering, Majors has opened up about the massive amount of work he put in to become the menacing villain.
‘The prep really comes down to who my director is, and who my hero is,’ he stated at the press conference regarding the numerous versions (essential Marvel term) of Kang he’s portrayed thus far, beginning with He Who Remains. We’re following our heroes as an enemy.
‘In this case, I had a few to kind of look at and break down, which is the fun part. I look at them and I figure out, okay, you can’t antagonise somebody if you don’t know who they are, if you don’t know what’s the opposite of them, if you don’t know what their hopes and dreams are. My objective is to do that – antagonise in order to get what I need to fulfil my life, my dream.’
He continued: ‘So in Loki, I’m dealing with Tom. It was great – He Who Remains and Tom. I got to watch him the whole time. This opportunity came to me in lockdown, and so I studied Tom Hiddleston for hours a day.
‘And then when that was done, I went, “Okay, Paul Rudd, you’re up.” And I studied him, and I studied him, and I studied all his hero colleagues and co-patriots.’
The Lovecraft County star then stated that in each occasion, he’spoke to his director’ to assist him ‘lean into the culture’ of the various projects and incarnations of Kang.
‘He Who Remains has a statement that reads, “I’m simply flesh and blood.” Kang must first relate to him as a man, as a human being. He treats them all as human beings. Then we can fight. Then maybe I can get him to do what I need him to do.’
Scott’s daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton), partner Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), and her parents, Dr Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), return in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Ant-Man And the Wasp: Quantumania is set for release on February 17, 2023.