According to a report in Deadline, Disney has finally found its Ms. Marvel in the form of Iman Vellani in her first Hollywood role. Ms. Marvel, a.k.a. Kamala Khan, is the first mainstream Muslim superhero and quickly became a favorite among fans for her fangirl enthusiasm for superheroes and her unshakeable moral center grounded in her faith and her family.
The character was created by Marvel editor Sana Amanat, patterned after her own experiences as a Muslim, Pakistani-American. Writer G. Willow Wilson, a fellow Muslim, brought the character to life writing the Ms. Marvel comic for the first five years, establishing Kamala and her supporting cast and endearing her to fans. Critics and fans alike have praised Marvel’s decision to keep Ms. Marvel in the hands of Muslim writers which gives the book a sense of authenticity that would otherwise be lacking.
The show is continuing that commitment to diversity by by hiring many Muslims and people of color behind the scenes, including directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Meera Menon; as well as writer Bisha K. Ali.
While she is on the small screen at the moment Kamala is firmly rooted in the big screen Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Marve Studios chief Kevin Feige has promised that we will see Ms. Marvel on the big screen sometime after her series has wrapped.