Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to correct the headline that actress Iman Vellani is Pakistani Canadian, not Pakistani American.
Marvel Studios has found an actress to play Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, for its upcoming series on Disney+, Deadline reports.
Groundbreaking: “Ms. Marvel,” which will be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will star 18-year-old newcomer Iman Vellani as the titular superhero.
- In the comics, the character Kamala is a 16-year-old Pakistani American from New Jersey with the ability “to extend her limbs, alter her appearance, and shift shape in several other manners.”
- Iman shares some similarities with the character as she too is the daughter of Pakistani Muslim immigrants in Canada.
- The casting marks her first major Hollywood production.
- Marvel Studios reportedly made sure to find the right actress to play the role during the casting process.
- According to Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige, Kamala Khan will also be included in future Marvel films.
Coming soon: Ms. Marvel, which is set to be the first Muslim superhero in the Marvel universe, was also Marvel’s first Muslim character to headline her own comic book.
- The character first appeared in 2013 via Captain Marvel #14 comic before starring in her own comic book series “Ms. Marvel” in 2014.
- The upcoming series will be written by Bisha K. Ali and is set to premiere next year.
- Filmmakers Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Meera Menon have earlier been named as directors on the project.
- Excitement over the casting has already hit social media, with fellow MCU stars Kumail Nanjiani and Simu Liu immediately expressing their support for the actress on Twitter.
This is the news I needed after whatever the hell I just watched yesterday.
Congratulations Iman, I can’t wait to see what you do for children and adults all around the world!!! https://t.co/Kxdcd3qyzN
— Simu Liu (@SimuLiu) September 30, 2020
I just saw they cast Ms. Marvel and legit got teary eyed.
Congratulations Iman Vellani! Your work is going to mean so much to so many people, myself included. I can’t wait.
— Kumail Nanjiani (@kumailn) September 30, 2020
- Digital artist BossLogic has also come up with an artwork imagining what the actress might look like dressed up in Ms. Marvel’s costume.
Congrats to #imanvellani our official Ms. MARVEL Kamala Khan. Crazy to see they picked up someone completely unknown, excited to see. @disneyplus pic.twitter.com/VqFsvvEoSQ
— BossLogic (@Bosslogic) October 1, 2020
- Comic book writer G. Willow Wilson, one of the character’s creators, noted that Vellani is “the real deal.”
She is the real deal.
— G. Willow Wilson (@GWillowWilson) September 30, 2020
Feature Image via PlayStation
