Elizabeth Olsen’s ‘WandaVision’ son now looks eerily like his Marvel mom and it’s raising a big MCU question

Julian Hilliard, known for portraying young Billy Maximoff in WandaVision and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, is now entering his teenage years, prompting Marvel fans to speculate about the future of his character in the MCU. In WandaVision, Hilliard and Jett Klyne play Billy and Tommy, the sons of Wanda Maximoff and Vision. Given the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, many fans thought the chances of their return to the MCU were slim. However, the multiverse operates under unique rules, allowing for potential resurrections and alternate versions of characters. The only thing that seems definitively off the table is the possibility of Eternals 2 coming to fruition.

With the buzz around the upcoming series Agatha All Along, expectations ran high regarding how it might connect back to WandaVision, particularly due to Agatha Harkness’s manipulative role in Westview. Fans were taken by surprise when Joe Locke’s character, Teen, was revealed to be Billy Kaplan, whose body had been overtaken by the wandering soul of Billy Maximoff—Wanda’s son. This unexpected twist sparked discussions within the fandom, particularly about Marvel’s trend of recasting child actors.

Recurring Theme of Recasting

One user on X expressed confusion over Marvel’s pattern of hiring young actors only to recast them once they mature enough to play their teenage counterparts. Comments highlighted the inconsistency of this approach, suggesting that the twist might not have worked with Hilliard in the role since Billy Kaplan represents a new body. Some fans encouraged the original poster to explore the comic book lore surrounding the connections between Wanda and Billy Kaplan to better understand the narrative choices.

A broader conversation has emerged about whether Marvel Studios treats its younger actors fairly, particularly with the trend of aging them up too quickly or replacing them with new talent. A notable example is Cassie Lang, who was portrayed by Abby Ryder Fortson in Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp. When Avengers: Endgame came around, Fortson was replaced by Emma Fuhrmann, which made sense within the story context as Scott Lang was trapped in the Quantum Realm, resulting in a time gap that aged Cassie significantly. However, the reason for Fuhrmann’s subsequent replacement by Kathryn Newton in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania remains less clear. Fuhrmann expressed her disappointment on X, revealing she learned about her recasting through the media, just like everyone else.

Industry Practices and Fan Reactions

While it’s disheartening to see actors receive the news of their recasting simultaneously with the public, this phenomenon isn’t limited to child actors. Notable MCU recasts have included changes like Terrence Howard being replaced by Don Cheadle as James Rhodes, Edward Norton stepping aside for Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk, and Josh Brolin taking over the role of Thanos from Damion Poitier.

Ultimately, the decision not to have Hilliard reprise his role as Billy Maximoff in Agatha All Along aligns with the storyline’s logic; Billy Kaplan represents a distinct character rather than a continuation of Billy Maximoff’s journey. This situation highlights the complexities of casting decisions in the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe, where character arcs and timelines can significantly influence the choices made by filmmakers.