Today I am discussing MCU team ups and what could be on the horizon. Specifically potential Thunderbolts, Young Avengers, or Dark Avengers projects. So let’s talk what we think is coming up in the MCU outside of projects that have already been announced. Welcome to Free Talk Friday.
MCU Team Ups
The Marvel team ups are always the big events. However so far in the announced movies and shows, Marvel has been putting people together in smaller team ups. Black Widow will be led by Natasha, but introduce Yelena. Doctor Strange will show up in No Way Home, and Scarlet Witch in Multiverse of Madness. WandaVision speaks for itself as does The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. We also know a few other details such as the fact Kate Bishop and Echo will be in Hawkeye.
Going forwards we have the Guardians showing up in Thor: Love and Thunder and both Ms. Marvel and Monica Rambeau showing up in Captain Marvel 2. When it comes to Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania we have only rumors that various other characters could show up. One story we covered this week was Eli Bradley appearing in either Captain Marvel 2 or Quantumania and the latter is more likely.
There are also some films which seem to be completely on their own in terms of existing characters, such as Eternals and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Yet so far there is no hint of a new Avengers movie on the horizon. To be honest I don’t think we’ll get another full Avengers movie until late Phase 5 or Phase 6. However I do think that there are two team up movies, or shows coming from the MCU.
Young Avengers
A Young Avengers project has been rumored for a while. However, we have no idea whether that is a movie, or a Disney+ series? Young Avengers is coming though, so let’s have a chat about who that team could feature?
I don’t think all of these characters will be a part of the Young Avengers, but all could be. We have Wiccan and Speed, though currently not existing I think fans expect that to change in Multiverse of Madness. We also have Eli Bradley who was just introduced in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier. Elijah Richardson who plays Bradley just this week flew to LA for a Marvel shoot. That means as said above that he is either in Captain Marvel 2 or Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania. You can catch that story in the link below. Rumors that the Young Avengers might first show up in Quantumania leads me to choose that option for a Bradley appearance. However, that’s just guess work.
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Then we have America Chavez coming to Multiverse of Madness along with Kate Bishop in Hawkeye. Going back to Ant-Man and Cassie Lang has been recast and is expected to carry on the family superhero business. There are also rumors about a Kid Loki showing up in the upcoming Loki show. Depending on how they decide to play things with Yelena in Black Widow, she could also be a potential Young Avenger. Or, Yelena could be joining the team below?
Where this show fits in, and what the catalyst might be to push these individuals together in the MCU I don’t know, but I still feel like it’s coming soon. Given the source material it’s also possible that Young Avengers could feature appearances from some Avengers too. I could totally see Captain America (Sam), White Wolf, Ant-Man and the Wasp as mentors to a group of superpowered or super skilled adolescents and young adults. The last movie to introduce one of these kids mentioned is Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania which will hit tail end of 2022. I’ll guess that means somewhere on that 2023 slate will be a Young Avengers movie or show, and I think it will be a show. The MCU’s first ‘event’ show.
Dark Avengers/Thunderbolts
It seems likely to many fans that we have a grey shaded team coming soon as well. A darker version of the MCU team ups if you will. Whether that team are called the Thunderbolts or the Dark Avengers I think is irrelevant, in the MCU I expect they will fulfil the same role. Some of the characters we expect to see show up in this ‘team’ aren’t what we’d call despicable characters. John Walker seems to be the first name on whatever team sheet it is and Walker whilst not being cut out to be Captain America, still has a strong moral center, for now anyway. It would also feel weird if Zemo was not involved in this team, and whilst Zemo has done worse things than Walker, again, they are both somewhat relatable, if flawed.
I think for me that kinda rules out Thunderbolts or Dark Avengers being a team like The Suicide Squad. Don’t expect an R-rated movies where 80% of the Thunderbolts gets their brains blown out in the first half of the movie. In fact, one of the attractions of a Thunderbolts movie for me would be the likes of Walker realizing that what he is being asked to do is wrong and trying to get out. Zemo equally, even if he is the leader of the group I don’t think would like being manipulated by whoever is really pulling the strings.
Who Does Pull The Strings?
Again, this is a tough one to call. On one had we could predict it’s Thunderbolts and that General Ross is behind all this. However I don’t think of Ross is anymore more than a man who thinks he’s always right. A flawed character for sure, but someone with larger reaching agenda, that I’m less sure of. I do think we could see Red Hulk at some point, though if so, I want to see him fight Hulk. However, what would really excite me for this team is Norman Osborn.
You’ve read rumors of Osborn showing up in No Way Home, once again played by Willem Dafoe. However I have also heard rumors that that’s not the full story. Some insiders have said that Dafoe’s character may be the villain of No Way Home, but he is not the MCU’s Norman Osborn. When Peer goes looking for this villainous Osborn in his world he’s going to find a respected business man with no obvious links to villainy. I want to build up to what Osborn becomes and this is always the way I wished the character to be tackled in the MCU.
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Start Osborn as a good man and break him. Break Osborn over years until eventually, he too will don that Green Mask and go bats**t crazy. I want to see Osborn with good intentions that darken as his plans fail. Perhaps initially we do get Thunderbolts and they are supposed to be a team for good, and things don’t work out? Progress to getting caught up with Kingpin, and Doctor Doom until eventually Osborn does become a central villain in the MCU?
What would be even better is if Peter’s experience with another Osborn effects his relationship with his Osborn. That the distrust of Peter is part of what helps push Osborn over the edge. The best Green Goblin stories for me were the ones where Peter felt partially responsible for what happened to Osborn, at least to begin with.
The Final Word
Ok, so all my Norman Osborn wishes are just that, wishes. I have no idea whether Osborn will show up for sure in No Way Home and no idea whether those rumors of an MCU version are legit. I think we can say that a Young Avengers team and a Thunderbolts or Dark Avengers team are coming. Whether we ever get something like Young Avengers Vs Thunderbolts or Avengers Vs Dark Avengers I just don’t know? However it sounds like a good idea to me. We all love the MCU team ups right?
What MCU team ups do you want to see next or do you think are being built towards? Leave your ideas in the usual place below.
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