Ant-Man 3 has reportedly cast Lovecraft Country star Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror for the upcoming sequel. As one of the Avengers' greatest foes, he could go on to be the main villain of Phase 4, which if so, would confirm that the film will be operating on a larger scale than its predecessors.
Kang's introduction could lead to the long-anticipated MCU debut of his comic book relative, Mister Fantastic, and the Fantastic Four as a whole. But they're not the only group with ties to Kang that could follow him into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Another popular, if not as well-known team could also be spun off from his MCU debut: the Young Avengers.
The Young Avengers were a team founded by Iron Lad, a teenage version of Kang who wanted to fight against his destiny. They were created by Allan Heinberg and Jim Cheung and made their debut in 2005's Young Avengers #1.
The title was initially the butt of jokes from fans online due to Marvel's hype and a lack of demand for a junior Avengers team. But it went on to win fans and critics over during its initial 12 issue run, gaining a loyal following and winning the 2006 Harvey Award for Best New Series.
The group primarily consists of teenage characters with close ties to the Avengers, with some twists to the usual sidekick format of teams like the Teen Titans. The four founding members of the team were Iron Lad, Patriot, Wiccan and Hulkling. Stature -- Ant-Man Scott Lang's daughter -- and Hawkeye Kate Bishop joined the team shortly after they debuted. Wiccan's brother Speed and a version of the Vision had also joined up by the end of the series' first volume.
That core version of the team remained together for crossover tie-in miniseries that didn't involve the original creative team, beyond some covers drawn by Cheung. Heinberg and Cheung returned for Avengers: The Children's Crusade, which helped bring the Scarlet Witch back from her post-House of M exile. It also helped rehabilitate her after she'd caused so much damage to the Avengers and mutants as a whole, leading into her role in Avengers vs. X-Men.
After Children's Crusade, which featured the death and departure of some founding members, a second volume was released in 2013 as part of the Marvel NOW! relaunch. It featured a new creative team, Phonogram creators Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie. Avengers-related characters like Kid Loki, Miss America and Marvel Boy joined Wiccan, Hulkling, Hawkeye and Speed. The series was also a fan favorite.
An MCU incarnation of the Young Avengers was already taking shape before Kang was added to the mix. The MCU version of Cassie Lang is a teenager following the time jump in Avengers: Endgame while Kate Bishop is set to debut in the Hawkeye Disney+ series. Wiccan, Speed and Hulkling are even rumored to be appearing in Disney+'s Wandavision. Kid Loki might even emerge from Loki's Disney+ series, although he probably won't be played by Finn Wolfhard.
With most of the rest of the team having some kind of presence in the MCU, the introduction of Kang could give them a leader and reason to form. But that's assuming Marvel Studios wants to adapt the comics faithfully, which isn't always the case. Beyond potentially lacking Patriot, who almost appeared in Black Panther, and the younger Vision, it could also introduce some characters from outside of the team's comic book roster.
An MCU incarnation of the team could also be a way of introducing characters from Marvel's other premiere teen superhero team, the Champions. There's been some speculation that Disney+'s Ms. Marvel series' shooting schedule will leave time for the character appear in a Young Avengers series.
Her teammate Nova's MCU debut could also happen in a Young Avengers project. Morgan Stark could also take up her mother's mantle and become the new Rescue, which would fulfill a similar role to the one Ironheart plays in the comics.
A Young Avengers adaptation would do more than bring a fan-favorite comic to the screen. It would also give the MCU a youth movement it's been lacking. It wouldn't hurt that it would be more tightly connected to the universe's flagship franchise than shows like Runaways or Cloak & Dagger.
Whether it was a film or a Defenders-esque streaming crossover, Kang's introduction was always going to open the door for a new generation of MCU heroes. It could also help set up some bigger storylines down the road, given that the Young Avengers have played crucial roles in comic book blockbusters like AvX and the recent Empyre.