The Academy Award nominations for 2023 brought the first major nod for Marvel Studios in an acting category, with Angela Bassett being among the front runners in the Best Supporting Actress category for her performance in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Now fellow MCU alum Jonathan Majors has shared his thoughts on what the nomination means for Hollywood, the Academy, and the MCU going forward. Speaking to The Wrap ahead of his big appearance as Kang in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Majors said:
Angela Bassett has already picked up a Golden Globe for her performance and is one of the favorites to take the award at next month’s Oscars ceremony. Having been mostly locked out of the Academy’s shortlists for more than a decade, getting the nomination in the first place has been a massive deal for Marvel Studios. A win would certainly open up hope for more nominations to come in the future.
When it comes to superhero movies and the Oscars, there have been very few acting awards given out for those taking part in some of the biggest and most successful franchises in cinema history. However, playing a villain has certainly seemed to be the route to go, with both Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix not only being nominated for their appearances as DC’s iconic Joker but both winning for the role as well.
Jonathan Majors entered the MCU in the first iteration of Kang in the TV series Loki, but Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania gives him the first chance to really flex his muscles at the latest Big Bad of the Marvel franchise. With several more iterations of Kang to appear in the future, many believe Majors could secure himself some award nominations further down the line.
Of course, many believed the same of Josh Brolin’s Thanos, but that did not happen. However, with the Academy’s constant snubbing of superhero movies having been called out on multiple occasions recently, it could be that a tide is turning, and who knows where that will see MCU nominations land in the future. However, Majors did not join the MCU looking to claim accolades but to explore one of the most complex and far-reaching villains of any superhero franchise to date.
