Joe Locke is known best for his standout role in Heartstopper but Marvel Studios' Agatha All Along could be the project that shoots the 20-year-old into superstardom.
While he's been named "Teen" in official press materials for the Disney+ series, the prevailing theory is that he's actually playing Billy Kaplan, a.k.a. Billy Maximoff, a.k.a. the Young Avenger Wiccan!
Talking to Rolling Stone, Locke was asked what fans can expect from the WandaVision follow-up.
"It’s a dark comedy about witches. It’s not what you would usually expect from a Marvel series," he says, confirming that Teen helps free Agatha Harkness from the spell the Scarlet Witch cast on her when they last crossed paths. The unnamed character then persuades Agatha to take him on her journey down the Witches' Road.
"We gather a coven and a very unlikely group of women and me — which is my life in general — get on the Witches’ Road," Locke adds. "Then magic, fun, and mystery prevails."
Promising there will be "many twists and turns," the actor tells the site, "In the same way WandaVision goes through all these different subgenres of comedies, Agatha does that in a different way. It’s definitely darker. It’s actually a little bit scary, which is good. I think it’s a great start for a new journey within the MCU of exploring different types of characters that aren’t like Iron Man or Captain America."
"It’s a new type of superhero, which I think is exciting," Locke notes.
Arguably the biggest giveaway that he's playing Billy is the fact Locke tells the publication Teen identifies as gay. "The way it’s explored in the show is very truthful and very positive," he confirms. "His sexuality is just one part of the character."
As we're sure most of you will know, in the comics, Wiccan is romantically involved with his Young Avengers teammate, Hulkling.
In the series, the infamous Agatha Harkness finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen helps break her free from a distorted spell. Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches' Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing.
Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road.
In addition to Locke, Agatha All Along stars Kathryn Hahn, Sasheer Zamata, Ali Ahn, Maria Dizzia, Paul Adelstein, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Okwui Okpokwasili, with Debra Jo Rupp, with Patti LuPone, and Aubrey Plaza. The executive producers are Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Mary Livanos and Jac Schaeffer. The directors for the series include Jac Schaeffer, Rachel Goldberg and Gandja Montiero.
Agatha All Along premieres on September 18 at 6pm PT/9pm ET, with the first two episodes, exclusively on Disney+.