Sana Amanat, the creator of Ms. Marvel, revealed that Iman Vellani’s obsession with all things Marvel helped her secure the role of Kamala Khan in Disney+’s upcoming television adaptation starring the superhero.
In an interview with Empire, Amanat said she felt that Vellani was a perfect fit for Kamala Khan as soon as she saw how much of a Marvel fangirl the actor was during her Zoom audition. “She showed me every corner of her room, and it was covered with Avengers,” Amanat said. “Then she said, ‘Oh wait, I’m not done,’ opened up her closet, and there was more Marvel everywhere.”
Amanat reiterated that Vellani’s bubbly personality and wide-eyed enthusiasm were a clear fit for Kamala Khan, who is not “your traditional Avenger,” especially when it comes to her love for Earth’s mightiest heroes. “She’s not as slick and suave as some superheroes. It’s not like when Captain America throws his shield and it comes back,” Amanat explained. “She’s all over the place. I’m excited for people to get to know her.”
Disney+’s Ms. Marvel follows Kamala Khan, a 16-year-old Pakistani-American high school student who dreams of one day fighting alongside the Avengers, especially her idol Captain Marvel. Kamala suddenly finds her superhero fan fiction brought to life when she obtains the power to wield cosmic energy and make constructs from a set of magical bangles. Thus begins an action-packed adventure as Kamala navigates her unexpected new abilities, as well as her struggles in fitting in at her school and home.
Created by Amanat, Stephen Wacker, G. Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona and Jamie McKelvie, Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan debuted in Marvel Comics in 2012. Like the comics, Disney+’s Ms. Marvel series is notably the first entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to feature a Muslim superhero. It will also be the first MCU project to have a TV-PG rating.
However, some fans have been left concerned at the apparent change in Kamala’s powers and backstory in the series. In the comics, Kamala famously has the power to stretch her limbs to impossible lengths and to shrink or enlarge herself, much like Ant-Man. She even has the ability to shapeshift into other individuals or inanimate objects, though she seldom uses these powers. There has been wide speculation from fans surrounding this alteration, with some theorizing that the change was made due to her powers being similar to Mr. Fantastic’s iconic elasticity. Others have noted that Kamala’s polymorph powers are essential to her story, as they reflect her desire to fit into a society she feels does not accept her.
Ms. Marvel will premiere on Disney+ on June 8.
Source: Empire
Read Next
About The Author
