Avengers: Secret Wars' Mystery Character Could Rewrite The MCU: 7 Theories On Who Noah Jupe Is Playing

As production gears up to begin later this year, though, Noah Jupe has joined Avengers: Secret Wars, according to recent reports. The 21-year-old British actor is best known for his central role in the A Quiet Place franchise, but he's also gained attention through roles in Hamnet, Ford v. Ferrari, Honey Boy, and his stage performance for Romeo & Juliet. Jupe's casting came with descriptions that he's landed a "secret role" that "is expected to play a key part in the story."

Jupe becomes the first new addition to Secret Wars' cast without any Marvel movie experience, joining known participants like Robert Downey Jr. (Doctor Doom), Chris Evans (Steve Rogers), Letitia Wright (Shuri), Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards), and Sadie Sink (Jean Grey). Given the secretive nature of his role, there are multiple theories about what Marvel character he's set to play in Secret Wars.

7 Franklin Richards

The prevailing theory for Jupe's Marvel character is Franklin Richards, the son of Reed and Sue Storm. The character was introduced as a baby in The Fantastic Four: First Steps and is confirmed to return in Avengers: Doomsday in a slightly older portrayal. Secret Wars could continue his quick maturation and have Jupe play a teenage version of Franklin, made possible by another time jump or a multiversal rewrite.

Thanks to Franklin's unmatched powers, he has been viewed as one of the most important characters for the Multiverse Saga's conclusion. It would make a lot of sense for him to be aged up to the point where he can be a more active participant in the upcoming events. After all, there is precedent in the comics for Franklin to have an instrumental role in restoring the universe after Doom creates Battleworld.

This would prove to be a major piece of casting for Secret Wars, but also the MCU's future. Jupe would certainly return for any Fantastic Four sequel to show Franklin learn more about his powers and fight alongside his family as part of the Future Foundation.

6 Steve Rogers' Son

If Jupe isn't playing Franklin Richards, he could be an older version of Peggy Carter and Steve Rogers' son. Avengers: Doomsday's first teaser ended with the reveal that Steve is now a father. That development must be a huge part of his upcoming story; otherwise, the Russos wouldn't have taken the character in this direction.

Steve's son is sure to be a bit older for the majority of Doomsday, so there is a chance he ages up again for a role in Secret Wars after Battleworld is created. It would be strange for this character to be completely dropped from Secret Wars. A time jump or multiversal changes exist as potential explanations for an older appearance and Jupe's casting.

Depending on how this would play out, Steve's child could play a role in saving the day and even be positioned as the successor to the Captain America mantle in a reset MCU timeline. It'd be an understandable legacy play for Marvel to make, with it becoming another long-term play for Jupe.

5 Doctor Doom's Son

Jupe's Secret Wars character could also wind up being Doctor Doom's son. The child is not expected to be present in Avengers: Doomsday, due to the movie establishing Victor's backstory of losing his wife and son some time ago. But with that loss becoming Doom's motivation for resetting the multiverse, it's not far-fetched to think that he'd bring his child back to life on Battleworld.

Jupe is the right age and has enough of a resemblance to Downey that he could pass as Doom's son, Kristoff Vernard. He would enter Secret Wars as a walking reminder of the MCU villain getting what he wanted, while also acting as a potential casualty of the Avengers undoing Doom's actions.

This would, most likely, be a one-off role for Jupe, which makes it feel a bit less likely. However, the emphasis that Doom's lost family has received in Doomsday's marketing makes this an option we can't ignore.

4 Molecule Man

The Russos are likely to bring in at least a few new Marvel characters for Secret Wars that will need fresh actors to portray. When looking at the comics that have inspired the movie, Molecule Man becomes one of the strongest possibilities for Jupe's role.

Owen Reece, aka Molecule Man, is a longtime Fantastic Four villain with the power to change reality on a molecular level. He plays a pivotal role in both the original 1984 Secret Wars comics and Jonathan Hickman's 2015 version. With the Russos sure to take cues from both runs, Molecule Man is almost assured to appear to help create Battleworld and restore the multiverse.

Jupe would make for an interesting take on Molecule Man. He's not traditionally quite this young, but his casting would make sense if Marvel Studios has plans for Owen beyond Secret Wars. And given the character's importance on the pages of Secret Wars comics, he would certainly play a key role in the movie.

3 The Beyonder

The Beyonder is another option for Jupe based on how Secret Wars unfolds in the comics. He is the original villain of the 1984 classic event series, which introduced him as a being beyond the multiverse and the most powerful person across all universes. The lead-up to 2015's event series introduced a retcon where he was part of the Beyonders alien race.

Despite the more recent interpretation of the Beyonders, it would be understandable for Secret Wars to go back to a singular, human-looking being to occupy the role. The Beyonder creates the original Battleworld in the comics. But the MCU's version could give him the same role as the Beyonders in Hickman's run, making him responsible for the multiverse's collapse and a power source for Doom.

Jupe playing The Beyonder would give him one of the most important roles in Secret Wars. He would be very much involved in whatever transpires from a story standpoint. It's perhaps one of the most substantial roles that he could take on.

2 Iceman

With Sadie Sink reportedly returning as Jean Grey in Secret Wars and an expectation that some of her other X-Men cast members will join her, there is a chance that Jupe could play a fellow mutant. There are so many different characters that could be answers without knowing the exact direction Marvel is taking the gifted youngsters, but Iceman seems like a great fit.

Bobby Drake is an original member of the X-Men, but he's also one of the mutants who is not featured in Avengers: Doomsday. That could be because Secret Wars is set to introduce a new version of him that will then continue forward after the timeline resets. Iceman would help round out a lineup that already includes Jean Grey, Cyclops, Storm, Rogue, Professor X, and, potentially, Emma Frost.

Jupe would fit alongside the younger actors Marvel has cast as X-Men so far. Perhaps he'll wind up being a different mutant, such as Beast or Angel, but it is easy to see the actor nailing the qualities that define Iceman.

1 Iron Lad

The MCU could also possibly use Jupe to help give them a new Iron Man successor. Rather than shackle him with the weight of replacing Robert Downey Jr. as a younger Tony Stark, though, Secret Wars could shake up the MCU by introducing its version of Iron Lad.

While the character is a descendant of Reed Richards and the younger version of Kang the Conqueror in the comics, Marvel Studios could rework him. That could include still making him a descendant of Reed or even a distant relative of Tony. Regardless of the exact backstory, Jupe's character would be introduced in Secret Wars with eyes on establishing him as Iron Lad.

This would give him a key heroic role in the multiversal ending, as well as the chance for a substantial role in the MCU's next saga. It would be another piece of Young Avengers setup for Marvel Studios, with Jupe's Iron Lad possibly even becoming the team's leader. This could be risky, but if Marvel did it well, Avengers: Secret Wars would be responsible for giving the Iron Man franchise a new future.