‘Victor Timely is somebody that we are very, very excited about’: Marvel makes a risky gambit in pre-emptively praising Jonathan Majors’ return

Having seen the start of his trial delayed once again, Loki‘s six-week run on Disney Plus for its second season.

Suffice to say, having the two overlap could end up working against the first live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe series to be renewed. For as much as the backlash towards the actor and the ongoing controversies have died down significantly over the last few months, legal proceedings have a funny way of seeing dirty laundry aired in public.

For a while, Marvel was reticent to even acknowledge Majors’ existence throughout Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania‘s home video and streaming promotional campaign, but he’s been seeping into the Loki teasers and trailers more and more. That might have been a tactical move, seeing as executive producer Kevin Wright has gone all-out in hyping Victor Timely in a conversation with Entertainment Weekly.

“Victor Timely is somebody that we are very, very excited about. When you look at Kang, he has a very funny comic backstory. He has all these iterations. Timely was one that we’ve always wanted to do in Loki. And I think we’re really excited about how that integrates into the season. It’s a big part of the show.”

It was hardly a secret that the Kang the Conqueror variant had a major part to play in season 2 of Loki, but as the premiere edges closer, it’s no less interesting that Marvel is starting to let its guard down and openly praise what Majors has brought to the table in his rapid-fire return as the Multiverse Saga’s big bad.