Summary
Only a few of the most powerful young heroes in theMCUshould come together to form Marvel Studios’Young Avengersteam. The formation of a live-action Young Avengers team hasn’t yet been confirmed, but theend of 2023’sThe Marvelssaw Kamala Khan and Kate Bishop tease the team coming together. Marvel Studios has introduced several formidable young characters in recent years, so the stage is perfectly set for the Young Avengers' debut, but there is still some question about which new heroes will actually be included in the line-up.
A huge number of Marvel Studios' young heroes have been suggested to comprise thecast of the Young Avengers, but it’s very unlikely that all of this almost-20-strong group would come together. Instead, it makes more sense that a select few be recruited for the team. The most realistic option for the line-up of theMCU’s potentialYoung Avengersmovieshowcases an incredibly powerful group with abilities that rival even those of the Avengers themselves. With this roster,the upcoming Young Avengers team could be one of the strongest the MCU has ever seen.
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The MCU has a wide range of villains who could appear in the franchise’s premier Young Avengers movie, some of which have already been introduced.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
2021
Elijah Richardson
Elijah Richardson debuted asElijah “Eli” Bradley in 2021’sThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and though he wasn’t depicted with any superhuman abilities, this could have kick-started the evolution of this powerful Young Avengers member from Marvel Comics. As the grandson of super-soldier Isaiah Bradley,Eli resented the fact that he didn’t inherit any abilities, but used Mutant Growth Hormone to gift himself powers similar to his grandfather synthetically. This allowed him to become Patriot, and this story could be explored in the MCU.
Eventually, Eli was given a blood transfusion from his grandfather, which gifted him innate abilities. Patriot became a dedicated leader of the Young Avengers with abilities including superhuman strength, stamina, durability, and a regenerative healing factor, but he is yet to receive any of these gifts in the MCU.While it would be great to see Patriot become a member of the Young Avengers, Richardson hasn’t yet been confirmed to be reprising the role, so Eli Bradley’s future is uncertain.
2022
2025
Dominique Thorne
Following Iron Man’s emotional sacrifice inAvengers: Endgame, Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams was introduced to the MCU as anew armored hero, Ironheart. First seen inBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever,Thorne will headline her own series on Disney+ in 2025 that could set her up as a crucial part of the Young Avengers. Every good MCU superhero team needs an armored genius, and Riri Williams will fulfill this role for the Young Avengers team, perhaps even taking over the role of Iron Lad from Marvel Comics.
Using Stark technology to build her suit of armor, Riri Williams is very powerful. She is presumably capable of many of the things that Tony Stark’s Iron Man could pull off, and her genius-level intellect also brings her up to par with Stark himself. Even so,she has no innate superhuman abilities, so may feel out of place among some of her magical or mutant teammates. If she can hold her own against the Talokanil inWakanda Forever, however, she will surely be a huge asset to the Young Avengers.
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2015
Ant-Man and the Wasp
2018
2019
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
2023
Kathryn Newton
Cassie Lang has been in the MCUlonger than any other potential member, as she first appeared as a child in 2015’sAnt-Man. Despite this, she only acquired her abilities during 2023’sAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, as she journeyed into the Quantum Realm with her size-changing family to battle Kang the Conqueror.This experience has made her uniquely qualified to join the Young Avengers, particularly if they come together to battle Kang variants before the conclusion of the Multiverse Saga.
Cassie Lang shares her abilities with her father,Scott Lang’s Ant-Man, thanks to her use of a size-changing suit and Pym Particles. Scott Lang is secretly one of the MCU’s most powerful heroes, so it stands to reason that Cassie could be too, although she hasn’t quite mastered her abilities just yet.Her ability to change her size makes her a keen fighter, and her genius-level intellect came in handy in the fight against Kang, so she would make a great addition to the Young Avengers team.
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Clara Stack and Hailee Steinfeld
Hailee Steinfeld
While the origins of Clint Barton’s incredible marksmanship have never been revealed, 2021’sHawkeyeshowed Kate Bishop training for years to become as good as her Avenging idol.Despite having no natural superhuman powers, Bishop is one of the most exciting and formidable heroes introduced to the MCU in recent years. This was put to the test in a battle againstWilson Fisk’s Kingpin inHawkeye, which saw Bishop come out on top, proving her strength, quick-thinking, tactical mind, and creativity.
As well as being skilled with a bow and arrow, Kate Bishop has proven that this is only one of her talents.She is also a master martial artist, is adept with a sword, has fantastic acrobatic abilities, and is a brilliant engineer with a gifted intellect. Her skills make her a clear candidate for the MCU’s Young Avengers team, and her involvement was already teased inThe Marvels, with her being the first hero recruited by Kamala Khan.
Wil Deusner
None of the heroes mentioned thus far have natural superhuman powers, but this changes now. Wil Deusner debuted as Skaar at the end ofShe-Hulk: Attorney at Lawin a shocking moment that saw Bruce Banner introduce his son. Presumably,Skaar’s MCU backstorywill be very different to his Marvel Comics counterpart, so while he is often a villain in the comics, he could be a brilliant addition to the Young Avengers in the MCU.WithShe-Hulk: Attorney at Lawseason 2 seeming unlikely, aYoung Avengersmovie would be the best place to continue Skaar’s story.
Because of time distortions on Sakaar, Skaar’s homeworld, he is 17-18 years old inShe-Hulk: Attorney at Law, making him the perfect age to join the Young Avengers.It could be assumed he has all the same gifts as his father and aunt, Jennifer Walters, though he may have also inherited some new powers from his as-yet-unidentified mother. It would be great to see a Hulk character among the Young Avengers, fulfilling the role of his father in theMCU’s original Avengers team.
In Marvel Comics, Skaar first traveled to Earth to kill his father, but found the Hulk to be very different after theWorld War Hulkevent, so decided to spare him.
Yosef Friedman, Gavin Borders and Jett Klyne
Jett Klyne
WandaVisionintroduced audiences to the children of the Scarlet Witch and Vision for the first time, withBilly and Tommy Maximoffbeing born through magical, unexplained means. Like his uncle, Pietro Maximoff,Tommy is a gifted speedster in the MCU, though he doesn’t have a chance to grow into his identity as Speed, as he was erased from existence following the dismantling of the Westview Hex. WhileWandaVisionended with his apparent demise, the series may have set up Tommy’s triumphant return in a completely new form.
After the death of Wanda Maximoff’s sons in Marvel Comics, the pair are reincarnated, with their new forms exhibiting the same abilities from their past lives.While it seems unlikely that Jett Klyne’s Tommy Maximoff will return to the MCU, Tommy Shepherd could take his place as Speed, and could become a powerful member of the Young Avengers. After Marvel Studios wastedQuicksilver inAvengers: Age of Ultron, Tommy’s return as Speed could redeem the Maximoff family.
Ari Friedman, Baylen Bielitz and Julian Hilliard
Julian Hilliard
While there have been no teases of Tommy Maximoff’s reincarnated form appearing in the MCU, this isn’t the case for Billy Maximoff. Although not yet confirmed, Joe Locke has been speculated to be portrayedBilly Kaplan inAgatha All Along, allowing Billy Maximoff’s Wiccan to live on in the MCU. While Tommy receives similar abilities to his uncle, Billy is more like his mother, the Scarlet Witch.His psionic abilities allow him to manipulate energies, use telepathy, control and manipulate others' minds, and even see briefly into the future.
If Billy is even half as powerful as his mother, he would be one of the most significant and unstoppable heroes in the MCU.This could massively increase the power-level of the Young Avengers team, should Joe Locke actually debut as Billy Kaplan’s Wiccan in the MCU’s Phase 5. In Marvel Comics, Kaplan has access to Chaos Magic, just like the Scarlet Witch, so adapting this into the MCU could see him be the perfect mirror to his seemingly-deceased mother, and one of the MCU’s most game-changing characters.
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Iman Vellani
Kamala Khan’s Inhuman origins from Marvel Comicswere changed for her MCU debut in 2022’sMs. Marvel. Instead, she was introduced as the first on-screen mutant in the MCU, which immediately made her one of the franchise’s most exciting new heroes. As a mutant hybrid, Kamala’s access to the Noor Dimension was unlocked after donning her grandmother’s mystical bangle, which was later revealed to be one of the Quantum Bands.Kamala’s hard-light abilities, mutant physiology, and command of the Quantum Bands make her remarkably powerful.
The Marvelsset up Kamala Khan’s Ms. Marvel as the leader of the Young Avengers team, as she headed out with a stolen SHIELD tablet to recruit Kate Bishop, and presumably others.As a mutant who has already traveled through time and across the cosmos, Kamala makes the most sense as the leader of the Young Avengers. Her tactical mind, acrobatic skills, and mastery of her mutant and Clandestine powers have already been put on display, and Marvel Studios has barely scratched the surface, so it will be great to see Kamala develop as the leader of theYoung Avengers.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a multimedia superhero franchise that began in 2008 with Paramount’s Iron Man starring Robert Downey Jr. The franchise quickly grew in popularity, with Disney eventually buying out Marvel Entertainment in 2009. The MCU consists of dozens of movies and TV shows, most notably Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.
