MCU Star’s Pregnancy Announcement Raises Questions About Her Young Avengers Future

One of the MCU's Young Avengers actresses may have put her future on the team in question after announcing her pregnancy. While over half a dozen teams help make up Marvel's roster of heroes, the Young Avengers have already been waiting in the wings for what feels like years. 

Kate Bishop star Hailee Steinfeld and her husband, 2024 NFL MVP Josh Allen, announced her pregnancy. In a 28-second video on Instagram, Steinfeld and Allen frolicked in the snow, showing off Steinfeld's baby bump as they shared a loving embrace. Steinfeld also wore a bulky sweatshirt with the word "mother" written on it multiple times. The full video can be seen below:

Steinfeld's last appearance in the MCU was in 2023's The Marvels, where she met Iman Vellani's Ms. Marvel during the closing scene and teased the formation of the Young Avengers. However, her next appearance in the MCU is not confirmed, and this movie marks only her second live-action MCU credit to date (after her debut in 2021's Hawkeye).

As of writing, Marvel Studios has not announced a Disney+ show or movie dedicated to the Young Avengers. There are also no specific plans for any of the actors assumed to be part of the Young Avengers team to return before the end of the MCU's Phase 6 slate, which closes out with Avengers: Secret Wars in December 2027.

Is Young Avengers Team Getting Too Old Before MCU Debut?

While Steinfeld is likely anywhere from four to six months away from delivering her first child, questions are starting to arise about how long Kate Bishop can qualify as a "Young Avenger." In fact, the same can be said about most of the actors whose characters would be candidates to fill that team's roster.

Steinfeld just celebrated her 29th birthday in mid-December, making her the oldest cast member in a potential Young Avengers film or TV show. Cassie Lang star Kathryn Newton (29 years old in February 2026) is right behind her, and Ironheart actress Dominique Thorne will also be 29 before 2026 ends (November).

Ruaridh Mollica (Tommy Maximoff) and Joe Locke (Billy Maximoff) are 26 and 22, respectively, while Skaar actor Wil Deusner is also 22; Ms. Marvel actor and MCU fan-favorite Iman Vellani is in that same range at age 23. The youngest member of the group, America Chavez star Xochitl Gomez, will celebrate her 20th birthday in April 2026.

Even if the Young Avengers assemble on the big screen in one of the next two Avengers movies, at least two of its members will play their roles after turning 30 years old. While the team could certainly go under the "Champions" moniker instead of the "Young Avengers," having most of the group in their late 20s or early 30s makes it hard to think of them as "young," after many of the original Avengers were not much older upon debuting in Phase 1.

Originally meant to debut as a team in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (which was changed to Avengers: Doomsday), it is now unclear when that moment will arrive.

The chemistry these actors have already built with each other off-screen is palpable, as fans saw Gomez celebrate Steinfeld's birthday with her three years ago. Unfortunately, the lack of updates on any projects or stories for this group is concerning, particularly with Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars possibly leaving them out of the picture.

There may still be a chance for Marvel Studios to add a Young Avengers project to the lineup before Secret Wars, which is scheduled to debut in theaters in two years. While this would give the group a chance to join forces when they are relatively young, it leaves future plotlines in question as the team grows into adults.