Recent concept art leaks for Avengers: Doomsday and The Fantastic Four: First Steps have sent fans into a frenzy speculating about the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The images, which made the rounds online, have given fans a glimpse of what the highly anticipated MCU films have in store, and while none of the images are confirmed to depict what will actually show up in the final film, they do tease some of the big surprises and reveals that Doomsday and First Steps are bound to deliver. Concept art from the Fantastic Four reboot confirmed a longstanding fan theory, while the Avengers sequel gave us our first look at Robert Downey Jr.’s take on Doctor Doom, along with returning characters like Hulk, She-Hulk, Vision, and others.
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However, one particular image from Avengers: Doomsday has sparked even greater intrigue, offering a major update on Marvel’s Young Avengers plans. Among the leaks, one striking piece of concept art features what appears to be the Young Avengers assembled together, including characters like Kate Bishop’s Hawkeye, Cassie Lang’s Stature, Kamala Khan’s Ms. Marvel, Billy Kaplan’s Wiccan, and Tommy Maximoff’s Speed (and, even more inexplicably, Doop from the X-Men). What’s even more interesting is that Peter Quill’s Star-Lord and Wong appear to be chaperoning the teen heroes in some kind of bar or restaurant.
But even if we do see the Young Avengers in Doomsday, what are Marvel Studios’ larger plans for the team?
Who are the Young Avengers?
The Young Avengers were created by writer Allan Heinberg and artist Jim Cheung, and made their first appearance in Young Avengers #1 in 2005. Originally, their lineup consisted of Patriot (Eli Bradley), Hulkling (Teddy Altman), Wiccan (Billy Kaplan), and Iron Lad (Nathaniel Richards), with Kate Bishop and Stature joining shortly after. They were introduced as a new generation of heroes inspired by their elder counterparts, but with their own unique struggles and identities that come from being teenagers. Over the years, the Young Avengers have appeared in multiple series of their own, as well as played major roles in crossover events.
Marvel Studios has been slowly but surely laying the groundwork for the Young Avengers throughout Phases 4 and 5. Cassie Lang’s superhero identity was further explored in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Kate Bishop was introduced in Hawkeye, Kate Bishop was introduced in Hawkeye, and Kamala Khan took center stage in Ms. Marvel. And let’s not forget Billy Kaplan and Tommy Maximoff, the future Wiccan and Speed, who debuted as Wanda Maximoff’s children in WandaVision. Plus, there are still some other teenage heroes running around the MCU who could join the Young Avengers at some point, such as America Chavez from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Riri Williams / Ironheart from Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. While the Young Avengers have yet to officially unite, their presence across multiple projects suggests Marvel is methodically setting up their eventual team-up.
Remember when Kamala Khan met with Kate Bishop at the end of The Marvels to ask her if she’d be interested in joining a team? That wasn’t done for no reason (although Marvel Studios does have a tendency to let some of their post-credits scenes go nowhere on occasion).
Since Avengers: Doomsday is set to release next year, and with no Young Avengers project set to come out before then, that film could very well be when they officially assemble, possibly to rescue their older counterparts. With a multiversal crisis on the horizon, it may be all hands on deck, forcing the group of youthful heroes to step up in a way they never have before.
Their inclusion also raises questions about how they fit into the larger MCU narrative. Will they serve as key players in the battle against Doom and other multiversal threats? Or will they first be mentored by veteran Avengers, gradually taking up the mantle as Earth’s next generation of heroes? Regardless of how they are introduced, the artwork suggests that the Young Avengers will have a major role to play in the future of the franchise.
What is the Young Avengers’ Future in the MCU?
Another interesting aspect of the leaked artwork is the potential roles of Star-Lord and Wong in the Young Avengers’ journey. Last we saw Star-Lord, he was on Earth reuniting with his grandfather – so at what point does he connect with the Young Avengers? Meanwhile, Wong has already acted as a mentor figure of sorts to younger heroes like America Chavez – is that how he connects with other heroes-in-training?
Whether these characters serve as direct mentors or simply allies, their involvement suggests that the Young Avengers will have strong connections to the wider MCU, potentially setting the stage for their own standalone project down the line.
Avengers: Doomsday has a release date of May 1, 2026.
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Star Wars. Courtesy of Disney
