The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) includes some of the highest-grossing films of all time and a few wildly popular shows like Wanda Vision, Loki, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which made it all the more surprising when an acting newcomer was cast in the starring role in franchise’s next series, Ms. Marvel.
The upcoming Disney Plus show centers around the Marvel Comics character, Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel, a teenager who gains powers after writing fanfiction about a superhero. In September 2020, it was announced that Iman Vellani had secured the titular role, despite having zero on-screen acting experience.
Read on to find out all that has been shared about the show, and to learn more about Iman’s breakout role.
Though fans are awaiting an official trailer for the plot of the highly anticipated series, Disney Plus did release a teaser in December 2020, which provided insight into the casting process and the main premise of the show.
In the six-episode series, Kamala, a Pakistani teenager living in New Jersey, gets shapeshifting powers after writing fictional stories about Captain Marvel.
“It’s about a teenager figuring out who she is, and about relationships,” Bisha K. Ali, the head writer and executive producer, shared. “Family and friendship is at the heart of the MCU canon. That’s what’s so exciting about the story that we’re bringing, is that we’re going to introduce you to a new family that’s also going to be part of the wider MCU.”
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The Disney Plus show will also star Aramis Knight as a vigilante named Kareem/Red Dagger, Matt Lintz as Kamala’s best friend, Bruno Carrelli, and Saagar Shaikh as the teen’s older brother, Amir Khan.
A release date for the series has not officially been confirmed; Ms. Marvel was originally slated for a late 2021 premiere, but there’s now speculation that it will not debut until early 2022. The Marvel series is set to come out before the 2022 film, The Marvels.
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While most of the films and shows in the Marvel universe include well-known A-list actors, Iman Vellani is making her acting debut in Ms. Marvel.
The newcomer was up against stiff competition for the sought-after role, Sana Amanat, an Executive Producer for Ms. Marvel, shared in the teaser clip.
“The casting process was vast,” she said. “When we discovered Iman, we knew that she was Kamala Khan.”
Iman is making history as the first on-screen Muslim superhero in the Marvel universe. The teen discussed the impact of the show with Variety in August 2021.
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Source: Disney Plus
“The fact that the show is being made and they’re including this character in the MCU is [what’s important],” she explained. “I don’t really have to go out of my way and talk about being a Muslim and being Pakistani — it all comes out in the show. People seeing a person like me involved in a project as big as this is, I think, inspiring enough.”
Once Ms. Marvel does debut on Disney Plus, there’s every chance that Iman Vellani will become a household name like many of her Marvel Studios peers.