The MCU has more teams than it knows what to do with right now. As it stands, Avengers: Doomsday will feature at least half a dozen superhero squads, including the X-Men, Fantastic Four, and, of course, the Avengers. But there won't be just one team comprised of Earth's Mightiest Heroes. No, there will be at least two, the New Avengers and Sam Wilson's group, and there's a chance a third joins them.
Rumors have been circulating for years about the Young Avengers finally coming together on the big screen in Doomsday or its sequel, Avengers: Secret Wars. The addition of Cassie Lang to the film's cast certainly adds fuel to that fire. However, another actor who plays a prospective Young Avenger isn't so certain the team is a realistic part of the MCU's plans.
During an appearance on the Revenge Of podcast, Ms. Marvel star Iman Vellani fielded a question about the Young Avengers. While praising another group of young heroes in the comics, she pointed out that Marvel Studios is facing a problem plaguing plenty of Hollywood studios: age.
"I will say I'm personally more of a Champions fan than Young Avengers. I think those story lines are way more relevant. But I also think none of us [is] going to be young by the time they get around to that."
Vellani speaks harshly but truly. She's currently 23, and Kathryn Newton, the actress who brings Cassie Lang to life, is 29. Going down the rest of the potential Young Avengers roster yields similar results. Hailee Steinfeld, Dominique Thorne, and Joe Locke are all younger than most MCU leading actors, but they're also very clearly adults.
That's not to say Marvel Studios is going to face the backlash the second season of Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender is currently dealing with. After all, it's not trying to convince the world that a 16-year-old is convincingly playing a 12-year-old character. But bringing Kamala Khan and Co. together and calling them the "Young Avengers" would still be a stretch.
Fortunately, Vellani never comes empty-handed when it's time to talk comics. She mentioned the Champions while answering the Young Avengers question. Despite not being as big a name as the Young Avengers, the Champions have their own story and plenty to offer a franchise that's taking wins where it can get them right now.
The Champions Can Solve Marvel Studios' Young Avengers Problem
The Champions were formed shortly after the events of the "Civil War II" storyline. Many of Marvel Comics' teenage heroes, including Kamala Khan, Sam Alexander, and Miles Morales, grew tired of their mentors' antics after more infighting and decided they had a better chance of doing good on their own. The results spoke for themselves, as the Champions defeated villain after villain and saved a number of people along the way.
All the success led to more heroes joining the ranks, including a time-displaced Cyclops, Amadeus Cho, Ironheart, and Gweenpool. What the Champions offered was an opportunity for young heroes to step out on their own and, more importantly, on their own terms. Even when the team had to partner with the Avengers and other notable groups, it did so begrudgingly and as a last resort.
The MCU could easily borrow that aspect of the comics, though it would take some work. As things stand, Kamala and Kate Bishop, the only two young heroes confirmed to be teaming up, worship their mentors. Cassie is in a similar boat, as her dad, Scott Lang, is the one who's taking her under his wing.
Maybe Doomsday and Secret Wars shake things up by forcing Scott, Carol Danvers, Clint Barton, and the rest to make tough choices, such as sacrificing other worlds to save their own. Having not fought against Thanos and all the rest of the MCU's nasty villains, the young heroes wouldn't be able to wrap their heads around the blatant disregard for life.
That disconnect could open the door for the young men and women who once dreamed about being Avengers wanting nothing more to do with the name. At that point, all it would take is dotting a few more I's and crossing a couple of T's, and the Champions would be in business.
And it wouldn't just be a smart movie story-wise; there could be monetary benefits as well. It feels like Marvel Studios is squeezing the last bit of juice it can out of the Avengers name with Doomsday and Secret Wars, which is why it needs the X-Men and Fantastic Four to come in and help. Once the dust is settled, the powers that be will need new names they can count on.
The X-Men will surely be leading the charge. But there must also be room for a group of young heroes who have all found success when afforded the opportunity. That's the kind of risk that the MCU has turned into a success story time and time again.
