Marvel’s rumor mill is ever changing with various ideas and projects at some point in development or another. Many things change over at Marvel Studios, which makes it often hard to truly understand what is going to happen and what isn’t early in a project’s development. sometimes it’s just throwing around an idea that could eventually blossom into an actual project.
Such might be the case with a new rumor shared on Reddit about a Strange Academy adaption, which would see Benedict Wong‘s Wong and Xochitl Gomez‘s America Chavez take on a major role of their own. In a way, this show would spin out of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where we last saw Chavez being trained in the mystic arts; a big new direction for her character compared to the comics.
They also point out that there’s a possibility elements from the upcoming Ironheart, like the character of Zelma Stanton, might have a role in this Disney+ series. They might set up elements for this show in that very series given how much it dives into the world of the supernatural and could even connect with the confirmed Agatha: Coven of Chaos series further exploring a different part o the supernatural.
Strange Academy was the Harry Potter of the Marvel Comics world, where new magic users would learn about the various gifts they were given. It would make for a great jumping-off point to introduce other minor magic users into the MCU and further explore the concept of Kamar-Taj beyond the little glimpses we get in the Doctor Strange films. Of course, it’ll remain a rumor until further confirmation.
Xochitl Gomez is a star on the rise. The actress debuted as the dimension-hopping hero America Chavez in this year’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and it seems likely that Marvel Studios has even bigger plans for her future. In both the comics and on the big screen, her character has the ability to punch her way across Marvel’s never-ending plethora of universes. With the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the midst of it’s Multiverse Saga, and with a Secret Wars adaptation on the way, America could end up being the piece that ties it all together. She could also play an interesting role in what the MCU has planned next.
The finale of Ms. Marvel on Disney+ pulled a shocking twist when it revealed Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan would be the MCU’s first major mutant. Traditionally an Inhuman, the move proved Marvel Studios was not afraid to tweak origins on the road to folding former Fox properties into their timeline. Making Khan a mutant also helped simplify her somewhat messy on-screen backstory, and a similar unveiling could do the same for America Chavez, whose powers and origin are usually fairly complicated to explain. Speaking with Comic Book Movie, Gomez was asked how she felt about her character’s potential to also be a mutant in the MCU. Her response was not a denial:
Yeah, I mean I’m honestly open to anything. As long as we get to see…I think there’s so much more to her and her story that we haven’t really seen yet. I think there are lots of layers to America, and I think there are some fun things to explore. Hopefully, we get to explore the things, and yeah, I think that’s all I’m gonna say.
Xochitl Gomez
The last time fans saw Chavez, she was training with Wong in Kamar Taj to become a sorcerer. If not a mutant, than perhaps the young heroine could join the ranks Doctor Strange and the Sorcerer Supreme. When asked about this alternative possibility, Gomez continued:
Yeah, you see her in Kamar Taj and she’s learning the mystic arts, which is a different form of magic than her powers. I think it’s really cool that she’s learning that, and also just being at Kamar Taj gives her some discipline and just a place to call home since, obviously, she doesn’t really have a place like that. Being there with Wong I think is a good choice and a smart decision.
Xochitl Gomez
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now streaming on Disney+. Whether America Chavez could turn out to be a mutant or a sorcerer remains uncertain.
After her debut in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it appears America Chavez may be returning in a standalone project of her own. The screenwriter for the Doctor Strange sequel, Michael Waldron, explained in an interview with Vanity Fair that when it came to some of the America Chavez material, “that maybe we should hold some of that back.”
“Getting into the real specificity of her with her parents came a little bit later in the process. It felt, at least to me initially, that maybe we should hold some of that back. It felt like the sort of stuff you’d rather answer when you’re getting into America’s solo outing. But as we continued to build the story, we found that we wanted to know more about her. And, really, Strange would want to know more about her. It was just honest to their relationship and conversations.”
Michael Waldron
Waldron went on to point out that they “also set up the next chapter in the America Chavez story.” When you consider the mystery of her missing mothers and her training in Kamar Taj, there seems to be plenty of material for a movie or a TV series.
Especially fascinating is the fact that Waldron was the lead writer on the first season of Loki. Chavez, played on the big screen by Xochitl Gomez, has a history in the comics with a teenage version of Loki. She also has a unique role in the Secret Wars event that was teased by the Illuminati discussions of “Incursions.” Her solo outing could tie deeply into several other Marvel Cinematic Universe titles, as befits a character whose power is traveling the multiverse. As it stands, though, nothing has been announced regarding an America Chavez solo project.
For the time being, fans can see America in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, now playing in theaters.
Between the Illuminati, Mount Wundagore, and Clea taking Doctor Strange into the Dark Dimension in the mid-credits scene, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness certainly left plenty of room for several more stories to continue. Another obvious example was the film’s introduction of Xochitl Gomez’s America Chavez, the dimension-hopping young heroine at the center of the movie’s plot.
As many know, America is an iconic Young Avenger in Marvel comics, so her presence definitely teases that concept. But while Multiverse of Madness generally kept her comic’s origin story intact, it appeared to make a major change that could impact the young hero’s journey going forward. It also left the character in a place that could hint at how the MCU might build a Young Avengers team.
Marvel Studios
America Chavez’s Origin
We only get a brief glimpse of America’s past early in Multiverse of Madness, but we know that she appears to come from an alternative universe or dimension. She does not specify further, but we also learn that she apparently has no variants. In an infinite multiverse, that would not make sense. It is likely that the place America is from in the MCU is outside of the multiverse, which would follow the comics.
Young Avengers #3 (2013)
Though it has since been retconned, America’s origin story began in the Utopian Parallel, which is a dimension outside of time and the multiverse and is inhabited only by women. Her powers come from the residual powers of a being called the Demiurge, who created the Utopian Parallel. In the comics, the dimension is threatened with destruction via black holes, but America’s mothers sacrificed themselves and essentially disintegrated into particles stretched across the multiverse. After this, America travels the multiverse looking to be a hero, because she believes the Utopian Parallel does not need salvation.
Young Avengers #3 (2013)
In the Doctor Strange sequel, America accidentally transports her moms into some random universes when she unintentionally used her powers as a child. While America is convinced they are dead, Doctor Strange reminds her that they could likely be out there somewhere. If her mothers are not dead, that could open up an entire storyline for America to go find them. Teases like this almost never amount to anything, so it is curious whether the heroine would get some solo time to explore that arc or if it could be something that ties into an eventual Young Avengers story.
America’s Magical Ending
The end of Multiverse of Madness sees America at Kamar-Taj, working on sorcery skills in a way reminiscent of Stephen Strange in the original Doctor Strange movie. Her main challenge in the film seemed to be controlling her existing portal-creating powers, so the tease that she may be on the path of a sorcerer is very interesting.
On one hand, it potentially sets up a mentor-mentee relationship between Doctor Strange and America Chavez similar to Clint Barton and Kate Bishop in Hawkeye. While this does not necessarily have any comics backing, it could be the MCU’s way to gradually bring in and develop the young characters in organic ways in other projects before jumping into a team event.
Young Avengers #9 (2013)
The fact that America now has some connection to magic could also hint at how other Young Avengers may be brought into the fold. On one hand, Wanda Maximoff’s son Billy later becomes the superhero Wiccan in the comics. Wiccan also becomes the same Demiurge that creates the Utopian Parallel, so Multiverse of Madness potentially connects America and Billy in several ways. With the Loki Disney+ franchise still going, there is also potential for Kid Loki to become a significant character in the MCU. Kid Loki, of course, has powers connected to magic as well, but he was also the character that brought America and Billy together in the first place. That arc ultimately saw the formation of the Young Avengers.
America’s connection to sorcery may make a future team-up of young heroes easier, considering she would already exist in spaces characters like Bully Maximoff and Kid Loki might. In addition, her potential relationship with Doctor Strange may allow her to stick around in various other projects before Marvel Studios is ready to take the leap into a true Young Avengers project.
Fans can see America Chavez in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which is now playing in theaters.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is set to add quite a bit to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and perhaps its most important addition will be Xochitl Gomez‘s new young hero, America Chavez. The character, who can punch open portals to other universes, will undoubtedly be an integral part of Marvel’s superhero repertoire going forward, but it won’t be her abilities that mean the most to some viewers. Chavez is a Latina member of the LGBTQ+ community, raised by two loving mothers in her own timeline. Marvel Studios Executive Producer Victoria Alonso, herself raising a daughter with her wife, commented on what it would have meant to her had America been on the big screen in her youth:
What it would’ve meant is to have had a tad more understanding of the person that I was and that I was growing into being was not invisible. I think visibility at any age is incredibly important whether you’re 10, 20, 30 or 80. To have your people and to have someone who says, ‘I am, and it’s OK. I am, and I am powerful. I am, and I belong.’ I think any young adult could have that today, [specifically] the 42 percent of LGBTQIA adults that consider suicide or those that do it, would probably think twice that maybe they’re OK [as they are]. My hope today is that—as a small gift from a bunch of filmmakers that want to tell great stories—if there are any kids out there thinking even minimally that their lives are not worth it, I can honestly tell you their lives are worth it and we will celebrate it with them.
Victoria Alonso
Alonso also commented on the film’s recent ban in Saudi Arabia:
I understand that certain lands have certain rules and I live in a land where our rules are that of inclusion. And we will continue to fight for inclusion in every place, city, and state so that every kid that doesn’t see themselves can at least see a tiny little bit of who they can become.
Victoria Alonso
Gomez chimed in on the conversation as well, revealing her excitement to be part of what she considers to be something very important:
It’s huge that I get to represent these communities that maybe haven’t felt seen before. And you really do see her—I mean, how do you miss her? She’s on the poster! How crazy is that?
Xochitl Gomez
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters on May 6th.
Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness is set to introduce quite a few new characters along with the return of many fan-favorites. Perhaps the biggest introduction here is that of Xochitl Gomez who will portray America Chavez, a young girl with the ability to jump between universes with her star-shaped portals. The character will play a big supporting role in the upcoming film and is an important milestone for the representation of Latino characters.
Deadline caught up with Gomez on the red carpet premiere of the Doctor Strange sequel where she was asked about her portrayal of the character in the film.
“I think she’s a perfect representation of a positive image of Latinas, in particular. I think that in the past there haven’t been, you know, I think there’s been negative stereotypes of Latinas and you know with America she’s positive. She is charismatic, she is resilient and I think that is a perfect representation.”
Xochitl Gomez
Fans are eager to see the future of this character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Many are hoping to see her become a member of the Young Avengers, a group of heroes that have been set up throughout multiple Phase 4 projects thanks to the inclusion of characters like Billy Kaplan, Tommy Shepherd, Kate Bishop, Elijah Bradley, and even Kid Loki. While there has been no official word on the team showing up anytime soon, it seems very likely to happen in the future.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters this Friday.
While Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is set to focus on Doctor Strange and Wanda, following the events of both Spider-Man: No Way Home and WandaVision, it is also set to introduce a new character. America Chavez of the Young Avengers will make her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut when Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness debuts later this week. The character will be played by Xochitl Gomez, who is perhaps best known for her work on Netflix’s The Baby-Sitter’s Club, and will mark the first live-action take on the fan-favorite character. So, it’s not entirely surprising then that many are curious about what she brings to the long-awaited Doctor Strange sequel.
During the press conference for the film today, Gomez was asked what America will bring to Multiverse of Madness. “I mean, um, one thing that was so important to me was that – this is a very adult movie, there’s lots of adults in it, it’s very heavy, and so, I wanted to make sure America still had that youthfulness, and still had that, you know, fake it till you make it you know just resilience,” she explained.
Gomez also noted the character’s age on film and how it differed from the comics, noting how it allowed Michael Waldron to write a new introduction for America. “You know, when you’ve got some crazy stuff happening it’s a little hard, but I think one thing that really helps is that she is fourteen – which is younger than she was in any of the comics – so I mean that really helps, you know, in writing a new introduction, which I think Michael Waldron did beautifully.”
Fans can see Gomez as America when Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness hits theaters later this week.
As Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness approaches, the secretive film has been dropping more and more information. Even with the rumored high-profile cameos on fans’ minds, one highly-anticipated character already known is Xochitl Gomez’s America Chavez. The young hero’s ability to make portals to alternate universes will surely come in handy in the multiversal sequel.
Still, the character also marks major milestones for the Marvel Cinematic Universe as America’s Latinx and LGBTQ+ comics background will make its way into the live-action film. In the comics, her traditional origin story is that she used her dimension-hopping powers to travel from a universe known as the Utopian Parallel after her mothers gave their lives to save that universe. Multiverse of Madness has made headlines after some countries banned the film and others asked Disney to remove LGBTQ+ references from the film.
While we knew America’s mothers would be referenced, it looks like we now know that the two have been cast. According to One Take News, actresses Ruther Livier and Chess Lopez played the role of America’s mothers in the Doctor Strange sequel. While the scope of their roles is not yet known, it seems likely that they may be relatively small. Still, the fact that the roles have been filled does indicate that we will likely see a significant part of the young hero’s past.
Livier has appeared in 90210and has done a lot of voice work, particularly in video games such as Sly 3, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, and Dead Rising 3. Lopez seems to be relatively new to the entertainment scene, having appeared in a few short films.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness his theaters on May 6, 2022.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness remains one of Marvel Studios’ most secretive films. With the release date for the sequel arriving soon, fans have been able to get a few more glimpses into the highly-anticipated MCU installment. In a recent interview with Marvel, America Chavez actress Xochitl Gomez seemed to tease the beginning of Multiverse of Madness:
[The film opens with Chavez] literally running for her life in the gap junction space between universes with Doctor Strange.Xochitl Gomez
While it is a short quote, it is interesting in its implications for the film. First, if the Doctor Strange sequel opens in this way, it seemingly sets the movie off to a quickly-paced start. Not much is known about the plot, but Gomez might have just allowed viewers to make more sense of the footage provided in trailers and other promotions.
It makes sense for America Chavez’s character to be in this situation considering that her power set includes punching openings that create doorways between alternative universes. Her dimension-hopping abilities will certainly have a major and helpful role to play in Multiverse of Madness.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will be released on May 6, 2022.
With the secretive Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness swiftly approaching, marketing and press for the MCU film is ramping up. With fan expectations all over the place, still one of the most anticipated elements of the sequel is a known character. Actress Xochitl Gomez will be bringing comics superhero and Young Avenger America Chavez to life in the film. Chavez’s dimension-hopping powers will obviously come in handy in the multiversal adventure, and it looks like she will be teaching the stubborn Doctor Strange plenty of things.
Virtualy no Marvel character makes it to live-action exactly how they were written in the comics and often for good reason. In a recent interview with Marvel, Gomez revealed a difference between her live-action Gomez and the source material that has clear implications for the future of the character. Gomez explained that Chavez is about 14-years-old in Multiverse of Madness, which is years younger than the comics Chavez who fell in with the Young Avengers around 17. The actress explained the implications of the character’s age on her future in the MCU:
You can definitely see the beginning stages of what future America might become…I took stuff that was in the comics, and kind of lightened it up since she’s less experienced. She’s younger than any of her known appearances in the comics, and I think you can see that. It was a fun challenge exploring what a younger and less experienced America might be, but also hinting towards the serious leader she would soon become. I wanted to keep that kid energy and a little bit of that fake-it-till-you-make-it confidence.
Xochitl Gomez
Considering a potential Young Avengers project might still be years away, making Chavez younger in the Doctor Strange film would make it easier for her to be a more comics-accurate age when she appears in a related project. Because the character is appearing now, allowing an extra few years of development not only suits the long-term development of the character but also potentially the real-life aging of the young actress.
Fans can meet America Chavez when Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness when movie hits theaters on May 6, 2022.
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