Disney taps newcomer Iman Vellani to play Ms. Marvel for the Disney Plus show and will be Marvel Studio’s first onscreen Muslim superhero. Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel is a 16-year-old Pakistani teenager growing up in New Jersey. Vellani is a young Canadian actress and she will make her onscreen debut with Ms. Marvel.
Hulu’s Four Weddings and a Funeral adaptation writer, Bisha K. Ali will pen the pilot and serve as showrunner. Directors throughout the season include Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (Bad Boys for Life), Oscar winner Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness) and Meera Menon (The Magicians).
To include some bigger news, the Iman Vellani casting for Ms. Marvel will crossover to MCU films. Perhaps appearing in a Ms. Marvel sequel. During 2019’s D23 Expo, Marvel Studio president Kevin Feige said, “We wanted to get Captain Marvel (played by Brie Larson) out there first so that there is something for a young Muslim girl to get inspired by.” The plan was always to stay true to the character even if that meant casting an unknown actress. So far, Marvel casting hasn’t disappointed.
Pakistani-American actor Kumail Nanjiani who is set to play Kingo in Marvel’s Eternals gave his support for Vellani tweeting:
The last couple weeks have been filled with Disney Plus Marvel news such as debuting the WandaVision trailer, Samuel L. Jackson getting his solo Disney Plus Nick Fury show and casting Black Orphan’s Tatiana Maslany for Disney Plus She-Hulk series.
Featured Image: Marvel Studios