Actor Jonathan Majors snagged his first role since being convicted on one count of reckless assault and one count of harassment in relation to an altercation with his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari.
Majors’ career was on an upward trajectory before his conviction and he has gone from a Marvel superhero leading role to starring in an Indie film. The former Marvel Studios star was seemingly at the peak of his career and was about to take on his biggest role as Kang, the leading antagonist in the next phase of MCU‘s superhero films. However, Marvel Studios disassociated with Majors as a result of his trial, putting the rest of his foreseeable future in the entertainment industry at risk. The actor’s luck changed with the June 20 announcement that he will star in the supernatural revenge thriller, “Merciless,” but the job offer is a dramatically different one than he’s accustomed.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – APRIL 8: Actor Jonathan Majors arrives with girlfriend Meagan Good for sentencing in his domestic abuse case at Manhattan Criminal Court on April 8, 2024 in New York City. Majors is set to be sentenced after being found guilty of assaulting his former girlfriend, Grace Jabbari after attacking her in the backseat of a chauffeured car. (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images)
“Merciless” is based on the original screenplay by Frank Hannah and will be directed by Martin Villeneuve. The plot centers around a top CIA interrogator that has to defeat a malevolent force that has overtaken the woman he loves, according to Deadline. Filming is slated to begin in Saskatchewan, Canada, in the late fall, according to Deadline.
“Merciless intertwines themes of possession, revenge and personal justice within a haunting narrative. It explores the psychological descent of John, played by Majors, and the supernatural forces challenging his sanity,” Villeneuve said.
The film was developed by producer Christopher Tuffin, who firmly stands behind the decision to cast Majors, in spite of his conviction. Tuffin plans to unveil a new global media venture that he notes “refuses to let the court of public opinion and selective prosecution undermine great art and artists,” according to Deadline.
WEST HOLLYWOOD CALIFORNIA – APRIL 18: Jonathan Majors is seen on April 18, 2024 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by London Entertainment/GC Images) Getty Images
Tuffin, who is credited in part for the success of “Sound of Freedom,” defended his decision to employ Majors.
“In graduate school, I had the good fortune to study screenwriting under Blacklist scribe Millard Lampell and learned from him the dangers of letting politics undermine due process and deprive artists of their careers,” Tuffin said, according to Deadline.
“I consider it an honor and a privilege to be working with Jonathan who is such a great talent now that this matter has been adjudicated,” he said. (RELATED: Jonathan Majors Speaks Out About Guilty Verdict In Assault Case)
Kevin Townsend will also be credited as producer of “Merciless,” and Kevin DeWalt, along with executive producers Amanda Delaplaine, Chris Ochs, Andrew Bates and Ben DeWalt, will also lend their talents to the film.
A release date has not yet been set.
