Marvelhas done a lot of buildup towards a possibleYoung Avengersteam-up, with the introduction of Cassie Lang, Wiccan, Speed, Elijah Bradley, and Kid Loki, not to mention the already announced Kate Bishop, Ms. Marvel, and Miss America, among other possibilities. But with such a young team of superheroes and a fluctuating lineup, the studio would be better off introducing the team withits own Disney+ series, instead of a movie.
Disney+ has proven to be more than a useful tool for Marvel. The three series that have been released so far,WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,andLokihaven’t just been integral to the MCU plans going forward, they’ve gotten a lot of critical acclaim. ParticularlyWandaVision, which is fresh off bigEmmy nominations that typically do not recognizeshows of this kind. And just this year, the platform still plans to releasethe animated seriesWhat If…?as well as theHawkeyeandMs. Marvelseries. Those later two shows are probably going to prove integral to the makeup of theYoung Avengers, whenever that ends up happening.
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But just because Ms. Marvel is getting her own show, and Kate Bishop is set to co-star inHawkeye, doesn’t mean every potential member of the Young Avengers has – or will have – the same amount ofdevelopment coming into the project. Fans haven’t really seen much of Cassie Lang, for example, and everything that is known of her is as a little girl. Kid Loki was only present for one episode, and Elijah Bradley got a little more than that inThe Falcon And The Winter Soldier, but not much. Wiccan and Speed were featured a fair bit onWandaVision, but fans didn’t really get to know them well, as the show never focused on them. And Miss America is set to be introduced within the context of an already packedDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
This means that ifYoung Avengerswere to happen now, and in movie form, the movie would have to spend a lot of time developing some of the characters – and the dynamics, as well as dealing with whatever plot point the movie revolves around. Warner Bros. is trying to do something similar withthe newThe Flashmovie, which will introduce the multiverse, and Marvel would be smart to pay attention to how that gamble pays off. One could, after all, argue thatDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessis just as packed asThe Flash, but fans already know most of the characters who will be feature in the secondDoctor Strangemovie. They can go straight to the plot. That’s not the case withThe Flash, and it would not be the case with aYoung Avengersmovie.
At this point, it’s still up in the air who the team would be. There are some interesting possibilities other than the ones that seem certain and have already been mentioned. Harley Keener as Iron Lad? Ironheart being introduced first inYoung Avengersbefore in her own series?Miles Morales taking over for Peter ParkerasSpider-Man? Plus, there’s the possibility that upcoming Disney+ shows, likeShe-Hulk, could introduce characters that have always been part of the Young Avengers lineup, for example, Hulkling. Plus, with the X-Men rights in Marvel’s hands, it’s not out of the question that fans will get to see Prodigy.
All of those possibilities, however, would need some development. Plus, the team would also need some time and space to grow, form alliances and generally just bond. Considering that any project centered on theYoung Avengersis certain to at least touch upon the subject of these characters learning what it’s like to be a hero, it would be so much easier, and beneficial for the characters in the long run, to do it as a Disney+ series rather than a movie. Particularly since it seems like the future of the MCU is heading towards characters jumping from Disney+ series to movie and sometimes even back to their own series, without any issues. There’s already been one character who appeared in both a Disney+ show and a movie, after all: Julia Louis-Dreyfus’Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, aka Madame Hydra in the comics, who had a guest role inThe Falcon And The Winter Soldierand a cameo in the post-credits scene ofBlack Widow.
Marvel is building up to theYoung Avengers, that seems like a certainty. With the heroes – and actors – who have been at the center of the MCU moving on to other projects, it would make sense for the studio to take the time to set up this new team of superheroes the right way. Marvel has never been afraid to play the long game, and a Disney+ series seems like the right bet for a team that needs room to grow, particularly since it’s set to feature many characters audiences are not familiar with. If it works, the team can always appear in a future film down the line but starting with a feature film would be a lot of pressure with very little chance for a big reward. Disney+ was always meant to compliment the MCU experience, and if there’s one project that seems like it was made for the streaming service, it’sYoung Avengers.
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