As is already obvious at this point, Jonathan Majors is about to become a massive star in his own right in the very near future. The actor is starring in two major feature film releases within the next two months, both as the antagonist. Next month, he will grace our screens, returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The month after, he is set to appear in Creed III with Michael B. Jordan - who is also directing the film. Majors will portray the role of Damian Anderson, Adonis 'Donnie' Creed's next opponent in the ring, and he presents a brand new challenge for the son of Apollo to overcome.
Damian, a childhood friend of Donnie, has just been released from prison and is in terrifying shape - physically and mentally - coming after Donnie to remind him that, in their youth, he was always the better fighter. Speaking to Total Film for their latest issue, where the magazine also showcased a new image of the duo, Majors explained how he was able to tap into the mindset of Damian, and how he would feel upon his release from prison.
Although I was never incarcerated, I did deal with juvenile detention, in-school suspension, expulsions… all the way up until adulthood. So I understood that, you know? But my big connection to it was the fact that the man who raised me was an ex-con, as gross as the word is. He had been incarcerated for 15 years before we found each other. I believe that his sole purpose in my life was to get me to adulthood. My mother and him parted ways, but he still remained… I mean, he’s my stepfather. To this day, I see him as my stepdad, you know? So I understood, secondhand, the incarcerated mind. I witnessed it, what that development is.
Majors also revealed that he worked closely with Jordan, making his directorial debut on the film, to sculpt the character the way he wanted to, in order to present the strongest version of himself he could possibly create to put on screen. "That’s probably what me and Mike talked the most about," he explains. "How is he going to fight? He’s quite unorthodox. It’s a mixture of prison survival and ancient pugilism. He’s a very smart fighter. Though he’s strong and visceral, he’s intelligent."
Creed III punches its way into theaters on March 3, 2023. You can check out the latest trailer for the third installment of the franchise down below.