Are these rumblings of a Hulkling we hear?
As has become very evident since the much-discussed Hall H panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, the main mission of Marvel’s Phase 4 is representation. With many projects announced for the future with diverse superheroes of varying ethnicities, genders, and more, Marvel is looking to represent its global audience. And it appears that LGBTQ characters are a strong focus.
A couple of months ago, I hypothesized that the MCU was placing the breadcrumbs for introducing one of its most iconic gay couples. Hulkling and Wiccan. And now, we have more backing to support that idea.
Keep in mind, right now all of this is Hollywood gossip and insider news. That said, We Got This Covered was the first to break the story, and they have recently been on a roll in sharing LGBTQ media-based news. It was that news site that broke the story of Marvel casting an openly gay male character in their upcoming The Eternals movie, and it was them that shared news of Birds of Prey villain Black Mask being gay.
And now, We Got This Covered shares from an insider source that yet another character is in the works for a future Marvel film. Namely, Hulkling is currently being planned to appear in Captain Marvel 2.
Hulkling and Wiccan coming to the MCU in all their gay glory?! You love to see it (please don’t just be a wafty rumour) pic.twitter.com/iFHZzLPwJZ
— Patrick Swayne (@pswayne7) September 2, 2019
Related: Brazilian Mayor Starts Censorship Crusade Over A Gay Comic Kiss
Despite his name, Hulkling has no relation to Bruce Banner. Instead, he is a Skrull (alien) teenager who joins the Young Avengers and starts a romance with his teammate Wiccan. But the last Captain Marvel movie and Spider-Man: Far From Home (before the Sony split) revealed that Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel and Nick Fury are working alongside the Skrull race. This opens the door for Hulkling to walk through.
In addition, Marvel’s phase 4 plans have set up the slow arrival of the next generation of heroes from the comics. Not only will other Young Avengers characters appear such as Kate Bishop, but Cassie Lang has been aged up, and fellow teen hero Ms. America is set to appear on Disney+. And as I’ve hypothesized before, Wiccan, the son of Scarlet Witch, could appear in the Disney+ show WandaVision.
Will all of these Young Avengers slowly creeping into the MCU, there’s no surprise that We Got This Covered also shared that there might be a Young Avengers Disney+ series in the works. Right now, that’s simply Hollywood inner workings that could fall through at any moment, but it is a discussion being had by Marvel Studios execs.
All that said, all of this is very far away in the future. Captain Marvel 2 currently has no release date within Phase 4’s next two-year plan. As such, it looks like we’ve got another 3+ years before we see Hulkling and even longer before we see his romance with Wiccan.
But, it’s nice to know that the characters are on Marvel Studios’ mind.
Sources: We Got This Covered
