A new rumour suggests Marvel Studios may have found its Hulkling. According to scooper @MyTimeToShineH, Heated Rivalry breakout Connor Storrie is being eyed to play Teddy Altman in Champions, the long-rumoured Disney+ series we expect to serve as the MCU's answer to Young Avengers.
Marvel Studios' chance to introduce a teenage team of Avengers has come and gone during the Multiverse Saga, though the team is expected to factor into the next Avengers movies, Doomsday and Secret Wars.
Hulkling is one of the most important members of the Young Avengers roster in the comics, with the shape-shifting hero eventually discovering that he is the son of the Kree hero Mar-Vell and the Skrull Princess Anelle. Teddy's relationship with Billy Kaplan/Wiccan has also become one of Marvel's most beloved romances.
The character's introduction has seemed inevitable ever since Joe Locke's Billy Maximoff made his MCU debut in Agatha All Along. Champions is rumoured to bring together younger heroes including Ms. Marvel, Kate Bishop, Cassie Lang, America Chavez and Billy, with Hulking's arrival a logical next step.
Storrie has quickly emerged as one of Hollywood's rising stars thanks to his breakout role as Ilya Rozanov in Heated Rivalry. The acclaimed hockey romance series turned the actor into a fan-favourite, and he has since lined up roles in Criminal Minds and For All Mankind.
Interestingly, Heartstopper star Kit Connor is also said to be in contention for a "huge" Marvel role, though no additional details were provided. Some fans have speculated that the actor could be in the running for Hulkling, though it seems that moment has passed (it's also a little on the nose given his history with Locke in that Netflix series).
The Hot Mic's Jeff Sneider recently revealed that Marvel Studios is actively casting three roles for the upcoming X-Men reboot and is searching for actors in their mid-to-late twenties. According to the insider, these characters could be older members of the mutant team rather than teenage recruits.
If that's the case, Kit Connor's mystery role could potentially lie with the X-Men franchise instead of Champions. However, as with all early casting chatter, it's worth remembering that plans can change quickly, and nothing is confirmed until Marvel Studios makes it official.
It's previously been reported that Jake Schreier's X-Men movie will feature a lineup similar to X-Men '97, though there's also chatter about us getting the original five "First Class" of mutants. That may ultimately hinge on whether we're getting a teenage team or a pre-established group of heroes.
X-Men doesn't have a release date, but is rumoured to begin shooting this year for a 2028 debut.