‘Heartstopper’ Stars Joe Locke and Kit Connor Join the MCU’s Next Generation

Marvel’s casting excitement has been making waves this summer, but the latest news resonates deeply with a specific fanbase. What began as years of playful shipping and speculation surrounding two beloved young actors has now seamlessly integrated into Marvel Cinematic Universe lore.

Joe Locke gained fame for his role as Charlie Spring in Netflix’s ‘Heartstopper’, a coming-of-age romance that catapulted him and co-star Kit Connor into the spotlight. Locke’s journey into the MCU kicked off when Variety reported that he joined the ‘WandaVision’ spinoff ‘Agatha: Coven of Chaos’, which has since been retitled ‘Agatha All Along’, alongside Kathryn Hahn’s returning Agatha Harkness.

Both leads from ‘Heartstopper’ now have confirmed roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Kit Connor is reportedly cast as Cyclops in the upcoming ‘X-Men’ film, while Joe Locke has already been established as Wiccan following his appearance in ‘Agatha All Along’. This confirmation places two actors, known for portraying young queer love interests, into two of Marvel’s most anticipated superhero and mutant projects.

Locke’s role in the MCU remained a closely guarded secret for months, with his character officially confirmed as Billy Maximoff, also known as Wiccan, during the fifth episode of ‘Agatha All Along’. In the episode titled “Darkest Hour, Wake Thy Power,” Locke’s character, initially referred to as “Teen,” reveals his powers after feeling sidelined by the coven, ultimately turning against Agatha and adopting a crown reminiscent of his mother Wanda’s Scarlet Witch design.

Locke has since reprised the role of Billy Maximoff in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, continuing the character’s journey into the studio’s next major crossover event.

Locke has shared the pressure of keeping the reveal under wraps during the show’s marketing, describing the audition process that involved twelve rounds before securing the role. Reflecting on his investment in the character once the mystery was unveiled, Locke told Deadline that once fans discovered Billy was indeed a witch and not just a “familiar” aspiring for magic, “that changes things,” emphasizing that this revelation meant audiences recognized he had “the ability to cause harm to them.”

The connection between Locke and Connor’s characters holds special significance for longtime Marvel Comics fans, as Wiccan is part of one of the franchise’s most notable LGBTQ+ couples alongside Hulkling, a member of the Young Avengers. This pairing had already sparked speculation when Connor was first linked to potential Marvel roles, with fans drawing parallels between the actors’ real-life chemistry in ‘Heartstopper’ and the beloved comic book romance.

While Connor’s reported casting as Cyclops places him in a different segment of the MCU, separate from any confirmed Wiccan-Hulkling storyline, the symbolic overlap of two ‘Heartstopper’ stars landing significant Marvel roles has understandably excited fans online. Locke has previously expressed his enthusiasm for working with other Marvel veterans, sharing with Variety in a joint interview with ‘Daredevil’ star Charlie Cox that he navigated early anxiety about being typecast after his breakout roles, humorously noting he didn’t want to be confined to specific types of characters moving forward.

With Locke’s Wiccan already integrated into the MCU’s ongoing narratives and Connor reportedly set to join the studio’s revamped X-Men roster, both ‘Heartstopper’ alumni now have a solid foothold in Marvel’s expanding universe.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!