Anyone unconvinced that Jonathan Majors has the acting chops to become the next big MCU villain in the form of Kang the Conqueror should look no further than his critically acclaimed performance in the newly-released Devotion, where he plays the fascinating naval officer Jesse Brown.
That's far from his only lauded performance either, as he's won praises for his roles in Spike Lee's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, these are the highlights of his screen career so far.
White Boy Rick (2019) - 57%
Available On Fubo TV
Directed by award-winning director Yann Demange, who is coincidentally set to also the MCU as the director of the Blade reboot, and boasting an impressive ensemble cast that includes Matthew McConaughey, White Boy Rick presents a rugged picture of America at the height of the crack epidemic in the 1980s.
Whilst it impressed critics at times, weak characters and a messy narrative were the main criticisms that lead to its underwhelming score on Rotten Tomatoes. Majors' performance as the violent drug kingpin Johnny Curry provides the perfect balance to the tender father-son moments between the movie's central pair, however, and is arguably one of the strongest parts of the film.
Hostiles (2017) - 70%
Available On Hulu
One of the most impressive things about Jonathan Majors' acting career is how quickly he shot to success, starring alongside the likes of Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike, Jesse Plemons, and Timothée Chalamet in his very first feature film Hostiles. The performances were singled out for praise in this revisionist western about an 1890s US soldier escorting a Cheyenne war chief home.
Though Majors' role in the movie is relatively small, as a loyal corporal under the central character's command during the mission, he gets his chance to shine in a scene that sees the soldier left behind by his captain after injury forces him to stay at Fort Winslow. Holding his own alongside the consistently incredible Christian Bale in his debut feature is an impressive feat on its own.
Jungleland (2019) - 74%
Available On Prime Video
In the same year that he shone as Johnny Curry in White Boy Rick, Jonathan Majors played another gangster in the road-trip boxing drama Jungleland from Max Winkler. One of the biggest complaints with the movie was a cliche-ridden story so the cast had their work cut out making it special.
However, it's fair to say they succeeded at that. Majors' turn as the unscrupulous local gangster known as "Pepper" proves pivotal as he coerces the central characters into going along with his plan to make money from them at an underground prizefight. His intimidating performance proves exactly why he's managed to excel at playing smart and compelling villains.
Devotion (2022) - 80%
Available In Theaters
Released in theaters this November, Devotion is a biographical war film set during the Korean war and it's already garnered no shortage of praise for its portrayal of friendship and prejudice in the US Navy. Majors stars as Jesse Brown, the first African-American aviator to complete the U.S. Navy's basic flight training program and an elite fighter pilot.
Rather than showing the extent of the racism he faced directly, the movie instead relies on Majors' acting skills to convey the weight of what he's had to face, and that allows the actor to give a nuanced and memorable performance. His relationship with fellow pilot Tom Hudner forms the heart of a powerful movie.
When We Rise (2017) - 82%
Available To Buy On Apple TV
Jonathan Majors breakthrough role came in the important docudrama miniseries When We Rise, which tells the history of a group of LGBT rights advocates in the U.S. Whilst the series was praised for its attempt to tell such a huge and significant story, much of the criticism for the show came in regards to its rushed pace as it tries to pack far too much into its 8 episodes.
Praise was particularly high for the first half of the show, which is also where Majors shines as the younger version of Ken Jones, who is played by Michael K. Williams in the latter half. Sympathetic and compelling, it's easy to see why his performance brought him so much attention so quickly
Lovecraft Country (2020) - 88%
Available On HBO Max
Before Lovecraft Country, Misha Green's horror series about a dark road trip across Jim Crow-era America to the mysterious town that supposedly inspired Lovecraft's stories.
Majors stars as the central character Tic Freeman, a young Korean War veteran on the search for his missing father, and his acting chops are on full display as he tries to maintain his composure amidst the t threats of deep-set racism and other-worldly monsters. The performance still stands as one of his best and it's a huge part of why many found themselves hooked on the show.
The Harder They Fall (2021) - 88%
Available On Netflix
Whilst Loki and his new role as Kang the Conqueror in the MCU was the big headline for Majors' 2021, it wasn't his only critically-acclaimed performance last year by any means. The Harder They Fall is a stylish revisionist Western that thrives thanks to its incredible, predominantly black cast that includes the likes of Idris Elba and Zazie Beetz.
Majors is in confident form as Nat Love, a cowboy driven by a need to get revenge against the gang that murdered his parents when he was just a child. The Harder They Fall makes some bold stylistic choices but Majors' brawling performance helps ground the movie and he thrives on its quick, profanity-filled dialogue.
Da 5 Bloods (2020) - 92%
Available On Netflix
Working with Spike Lee is a dream for many young actors and Jonathan Majors got to achieve it in 2020 with Da 5 Bloods, a movie about a group of Vietnam war veterans who return to the country in search of the treasure they left behind there and the remains of their fallen leader.
A script that sizzles with fierce energy serves as the perfect platform for Majors to shine as David, the estranged son of one of the Bloods who hopes to use the journey as an opportunity to reconcile with his father. The conflict between the two makes for a compelling part of a movie that's hard not to like.
The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019) - 92%
Available On SHOWTIME
One movie that cemented Jonathan Majors as one of the brightest new talents in cinema was the critically acclaimed The Last Black Man in San Francisco, the semi-autobiographical story of Jimmie Fails, who plays himself, as he tries to reclaim the San Francisco home built by his grandfather.
Majors is an accomplished actor but it's his chemistry with the star as Fails' friend and ally Mont Allen that won over the critics in The Last Black Man in San Francisco. Despite being an ambitious movie with some beautiful and intriguing ideas, their relationship is a stand-out aspect.
Loki (2021) - 92%
Available On Disney+
As well as being an unexpected surreal treat that surprised critics and fans alike and forever changed audience expectations for MCU spin-off shows, Loki was also notable for setting up an important character for the Multiverse saga. That character is He Who Remains, a version of Kang the Conqueror, played by Jonathan Majors.
Although the version that will be seen in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is slightly different, Majors gave Marvel fans an idea of what they could expect from the antagonist with a hypnotizing and charismatic performance. Tom Hiddlestone's performance as Loki may have taken the biggest headlines but Majors' scene-stealing turn as Kang is a big part of why many are looking forward to the MCU's next phase.
