With theMarvel Cinematic Universeintroducing characters like Kate Bishop inHawkeyeand America Chavez inDoctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, it’s only a matter of time before the full Young Avengers lineup is present in the MCU. Wanda Maximoff’s sons Billy and Tommy have already been seen inWandaVision, Cassie Lang in theAnt-Manmovies, and Isaiah Bradley inThe Falcon And The Winter Soldier. All of these characters make up the Young Avengers team, but there is one conspicuously missing.
Hulkling, real name Teddy Altman, is a very important member of the team. He has no real connection to the Hulk, but takes on the name due to his usually green skin. Part Skrull, part Kree, Teddy is a shapeshifter who is able to take on the guise of numerous people to help the Young Avengers get in and out of spaces undetected. He also happens to grow up to marry Wiccan, or Wanda’s son Billy. At present,the audience has seen Billy at about 10 years old before he vanished, so just how old Hulkling will be when he finally joins the MCU might depend on whether Bobby is recast - or returns at all.
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Some fans have wondered just how Hulkling will be adapted for the MCU since his father is actually the male version of Captain Marvel, a character that didn’t make it to the screen. More Kree-Skrull interaction could be coming in either theSecret Invasionseriesor inThe Marvels, giving the audience an idea of when they could see him pop up. Regardless, these actors would make for great additions to the potential upcoming superhero team as Hulkling.
Nicholas Hamilton
Though Nicholas Hamilton has been acting for a good chunk of his teenage years, he really made audiences take notice whenhe appeared as Henry Bowers inIT. The character is a bully and makes the childhood of the characters almost as difficult as Pennywise the clown. His performance wasn’t too over the top for the role, and just nuanced enough that it could make for an interesting change of pace for him to get to play the hero. Most recently, he’s been appearing inAction Royale, a series distributed through Snapchat, demonstrating his talent in a shorter format.
While it might not be considered necessary by casting directors, it might also interest the audience to know that Hamilton did come out, adding some authenticity to a superhero who just so happens to be gay.
Connor Jessup
Like Hamilton, Jessup has been acting since he was a child. He is a little older than Hamilton, which might make him too old for a partin a Young Avengers lineup in a few years. Jessup is still playing a teen inLocke & Keyon Netflix though, so his age might not be an issue as long as his work is convincing.
Jessup actually has a leg up on some of the actors here because of his work in shows likeLocke & Key. The Netflix series, as well as his role in the sci-fi seriesFalling Skies, both involve a lot of choreographed stunt work and special effects. Understanding how to work in an environment using both of those things is vital for the MCU. So much of the MCU is filmed in front of green screens and using large amounts of CGI that an actor has to work with literally nothing in front of them sometimes. Jessup would have no problem with that particular challenge.
Austin Crute
Austin Crute might not have a lengthy resume just yet, but he got his big break in Olivia Wilde’sBooksmart. He’s best known for his role as Wesley Fists in the Netflix seriesDaybreak. Though loved by fans and critics, the series was cut short by the streamer. In it, Crute played a young man trying tosurvive in a zombie-filled worldwith the help of his sword and fellow teens. Likewise, he also appeared in the final season ofTrinkets.
Crute has shown a knack for dramedies. He brings the perfect balance of pathos and humor to his roles, which would fit right into the MCU. For all the lightness and comedy of the superhero franchise, the actors have their fair share of serious moments that the audience still has to believe the weight of. Crute could pull that off with ease. He might not have Teddy’s blonde hair or blue eyes, but Teddy is also bright green, so his exact appearance doesn’t have to match the comics.
Jarod Joseph
Like Jessup, Jarod Joseph is definitely aging out ofthe Young Avengers age range. In his mid-thirties now, he did spend several years playing a teen/young adult onThe 100, so he might not even want to play younger anymore. He would be great as an older Teddy if the storyline called for it though, or even one of Hulkling’s shapeshifted forms.
Joseph has spent a lot of his 10+ years in the industry playing supporting roles, and it’s really not untilThe 100that a supporting role garnered him some huge attention from the audience. His role as Nathan Miller resonated with fans as he went from supporting member of a large ensemble of kids to one of the main players by the end of the series. The role grew with him as he played someone just trying to survive the end of the world (repeatedly) with an anger just below the surface all the time. His portrayal of Miller seemed effortless, and audiences really deserve to see what else Joseph can do on a larger scale.
Owen Joyner
Known primarily for his work on tween shows on Nickelodeon before 2020, Owen Joyner might be the least experienced in front of the camera as the actors here. In his early 20s, however, he’s also one of the youngest, and a fresh enough face that Marvel could potentially land him in a long-term contract for somethinglike a Young Avengers seriesor movies. Joyner is best known for his role of Alex in Netflix’sJulie And The Phantoms, the drummer in a ghost band.
Joyner brings an inherent charm to Alex that is offset by a dry sense of humor and some expertly played anxiety. Despite Alex’s storyline not often being the focal point of the series, Joyner brought a depth to the character that quickly made him a fan favorite. He could do the same for Teddy Altman’s Hulkling.
Rumors persist that aYoung Avengersproject is in development, but it could potentially be a few years away. Marvel still has such projects asan Agatha Harkness spinoff seriesannounced as well as aFantastic Fourmovie in the works.
