Summary
The latest phase of theMarvel Cinematic Universehasn’t felt cohesive, or even entirely planned out. However, it has done one thing right. With Phase 5 of the MCU, the franchise has sought to bring in new blood with the Young Avengers as it slowly begins to phase out the original Avengers. Comic fans have been eagerly awaiting the chance to see the Young Avengers come together on the big screen, but as excited as some might be, the Young Avengers seem doomed before they even assemble.
It has been rumored for some time now that Marvel Studios is developing a Young Avengers project. Audiences have seen Kamala take the first steps to assembling the group thanks toThe Marvels' post credits scene. However, theAvengersmovies are often treated like theatrical events, with big names at the center. In the case of theYoung Avengers, however, the project would focus more on up-and-coming actors and a cast of young heroes that the general public may not be interested in following. So, what can Disney and Marvel do to make aYoung Avengersproject make sense?
Who Are the Young Avengers?
The Young Avengers are a team of young heroes that were originally led by Iron Lad. They first appeared as a team in Marvel Comics in April 2005’sYoung Avengers #1,by writer Allan Heinberg and artist Jim Cheung. The team wascreated as part of the Avengers Fail-Safe Program, which brought in young heroes who were related to the Avengers. The original team consisted of Iron Lad, Eli Bradley, Billy Kaplan, and Teddy Altman.
As is the case with comics, though, the team has changed over the years. The most recent iteration features the likes of America Chavez, Kate Bishop/Hawkeye, Hulkling, Marvel Boy, Patriot, Speed, Stinger, and Wiccan. Audiences have already seen a few of these characters get introduced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) and Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) made their MCU debuts in Phase 5. Meanwhile,The Falcon and the Winter Soldierseemed to tease the future of Patriot within the franchise.
While this has been the team in the comics, Marvel Studios is, of course, sure tochange things upwhen the team heads to the big screen. As seen at the end ofThe Marvels, Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, islooking to assemble a team, much like Nick Fury did. She has already approached Kate Bishop, and Marvel Studios has continued to introduce a slew of young heroes who seem keen to have a future on the big screen, including Riri Williams' Ironheart and Cassandra Lang’s Stature.
It’s more than likely the Young Avengers line-up will be different from the comics, much like the core Avengers team that viewers have seen on the big screen. This is sure to please fans of the comics, but most audiences are not going to care about these characters. Marvel Studios has not yet given them the same treatment they gave to the original Avengers. With this in mind, how can Marvel Studiosmake people excited for the young heroes?
How to Make People Excited About the Young Avengers
When it came to assembling the original Avengers on screen, Marvel Studios took its time and introduced each hero before they assembled. Heroes like Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America and Thor received their own films, while Hawkeye and Black Widow were introduced inIron Man 2andThor, respectively. Fans had the chance to care about these characters and get to know them before they all joined together to save the universe from an alien attack. There was a build-up leading to 2012’sThe Avengers, one that left audiences excited about seeing the heroes together for the first time.
This doesn’t look like it will be the case with the Young Avengers.Some of the characters are being introducedin Disney+ shows, and others are being introduced on the big screen. TheDisney+ shows are still finding their footing, and while popular, have yet to reach the heights of the films. As it stands,WandaVisionandLokiremain the most-watched shows thus far.Ms. Marvelremains one of the highest-rated shows, but failed to nab the same viewership as its predecessors. This was only made worse by the fact thatThe Marvelsstruggled at the box office.
If Kamala is set to headline theYoung Avengers, Marvel Studios needs to find a way to get Ms. Marvel in front of as many eyes as possible, even if that meanssecuring a second season of the series. Then there’sAmerica Chavez, who was introduced inDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but has yet to appear anywhere else in the MCU. Marvel Studios is introducing these characters, but not giving them time to carve out a corner of the MCU enough to make audiences excited to see them again.
If the studio wants to craft a Young Avengers project that will capture the same magic of theAvengersfranchise, it needs to focus on making audiences want to see these characters team-up. Give audiences their stories, give them time to shine on their own, and then bring them together totry and emulate the heroes before them.Young Avengerscould be a successful project, but Marvel Studios is going to need to have a bit more faith in these heroes. They will make them more than just side characters introduced as a means to tell a greater story.
