Marvel Studios unveils the new Young Avengers team, introducing the MCU’s next generation of heroes. Discover who’s joining the lineup and what it means for the future.
Marvel Studios’ latest Disney+ series marks the debut of the first Young Avengers team in the MCU. With characters like Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel, Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop, Dominique Thorne’s Riri Williams, Joe Locke’s Wiccan, and Kathryn Newton’s Cassie Lang, Marvel Studios has made several attempts to include more youthful heroes across the Multiverse Saga.
The studio has confirmed that Zombies is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). This is because it’s a spin-off from the What If…? series, exploring an alternate MCU universe devastated by a zombie plague that turns nearly everyone into undead beings, including many popular superheroes. The series builds on the concept introduced in the What If…? episode “What If… Zombies!?” and is set in the MCU’s multiverse, featuring heroes and villains from the main MCU continuity.
Fans have believed for a long time that this is all a prelude to the “Young Avengers” of the MCU eventually joining forces in Phase 6 or 7. The highly awaited collaboration was ultimately hinted at during the 2023 finale of The Marvels, when Kamala Khan, dressed as Nick Fury, approached Kate Bishop and suggested that she was “putting together a team.” Disney+’s Young Avengers initiative is apparently getting closer to reality. However, the results of that initial meeting are still unknown.
Marvel Zombies brought these heroes together for the first time in an alternate reality, giving fans a preview of their team dynamics as they await the Young Avengers (perhaps known as the Champions) to convene on Earth-616.
At the start of Zombies, three of the MCU’s youngest superheroes were already working together as best friends after the end of the world:
Kamala Khan (Ms. Marvel)
In the 2025 Disney+ series, Iman Vellani, a superfan and MCU fan favourite, returns as Kamala Khan, also known as Ms. Marvel, the main character. She first appeared in her self-titled miniseries.
Once more, Ms. Marvel’s abilities are completely different from those in the comics, as hard-light structures are used instead of her stretchy abilities. As it turns out, Ms. Marvel utilizes her powers to crush an undead Namor’s head and stab an undead creature’s stomach, proving that they can be vicious even under a TV-MA rating.
Ms. Marvel, who finds a new set of survivors and is aggressively hunted by Elizabeth Olsen’s Marvel Zombies villain for a terrifying reason, is regrettably the only Young Avenger whose role persists throughout the whole Disney+ series.
Kate Bishop (Hawkeye)
In her biggest role since Disney+’s Hawkeye, Hailee Steinfeld plays Kate Bishop again, using her archery prowess to defeat the undead as a member of the all-female squad.
In Marvel Zombies, Kate Bishop adds something extra by playing the superhuman survivors who live in her former family home, which was kept stocked by her mother, Eleanor, who was constantly braced for the worst.
Bishop’s favourite superhero, Clint Barton, often known as Hawkeye, was a common sight for the gang when they ventured into New York City. This zombified Avenger, who still possesses his archery skill despite being undead, frequently targets the heroes.
Riri Williams (Ironheart)
The return of Dominique Thorne’s character Riri Williams in Marvel Zombies comes just months after her first Disney+ season. Since the zombie series is set in an alternate world, Riri isn’t currently coping with the fallout from her agreement with Mephisto on Earth-616, and she doesn’t appear to have a complete Ironheart outfit.
Riri, who completed the Young Avengers triad in Marvel Zombies, is largely responsible for the team’s success. She constructed the U.S.S. Uhura, a zombie-safe vehicle that was regrettably unprepared for the Valley of the Broken Gods.
The apocalyptic use of Riri’s brains is demonstrated by her ability to use the late Iron Man’s armoured suit to control its AI interface, FRIDAY, who made her debut in the Spider-Man films and would return in Vision Quest the following year.
Cassie Lang (Stature)
“Did you know Ant-Man had a daughter?” Kamala Khan asked Kate Bishop when she approached her about starting a team. This probably positions Cassie Lang, also known as Stature, as their upcoming recruit.
Cassandra “Cassie” Lang is a Marvel Comics character and the daughter of Scott Lang (Ant-Man), who becomes a superhero herself, known as Stature and later Stinger. She possesses the ability to manipulate her size, growing to giant heights or shrinking to microscopic levels, similar to her father. Cassie is a member of the Young Avengers and has played a significant role in various storylines, including the defeat of Kang the Conqueror in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movie Quantumainia.
She first appeared in Ant-Man (Abby Ryder Fortson) and Ant-Man and the Wasp, before making a cameo appearance in Avengers: Endgame.
Other Possible Members
In addition, Joe Locke’s William “Billy” Maximoff, aka Wiccan, might give the group a magical touch. Tommy Maximoff, aka Speed, has apparently been cast for Disney+’s Vision Quest, played by Ruaridh Mollica. The Maximoff brothers are excellent contenders for the fifth and sixth roster positions, respectively, which would match the size of the original Avengers’ squad.
In addition, Eli Bradley (Elijah Richardson) was a member of the team in the comics named Patriot. He’s appeared in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier and almost appeared in Captain America: Brave New World. So we could see him suit up in the future.
Iron Lad, another founding member from the comics, is a variant of Kang the Conqueror. While Kang is no longer the main villain of the MCU, he could return in another form.
The Young Avengers are coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with their introduction rumored to be happening after Avengers: Secret Wars. Only time will tell when they’ll be formally introduced, but they’re on their way.
What do you think of the Young Avengers joining the MCU? Let us know in the comments below!
