Ms. Marvel star Iman Vellani discusses the challenges of recreating Kamala Khan’s superhero outfit in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe show.
Ms. Marvel star Iman Vellani recently explained how the show’s costume designer Arjun Bhasin solved a problem no other Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero has faced.
Vellani discussed the unique challenge posed by Kamala Khan’s unique crime-fighting threads in an interview with Total Film. “There’s a lot of new problems that arise with it being the first dress in the MCU, and so we wanted to make sure I can run properly, and I can squat without the dress rising up,” she said. “But our costume designer was very cognizant of making me as comfortable as possible, considering I couldn’t go to the bathroom, and just allowing me to move. The pant part is very comfortable. The top part, not so much. But it looks cool, so I can forgive it.”
Co-executive producer Sana Amanat, who co-created Kamala Khan, recently promised fans that Ms. Marvel‘s faithfulness to the comics will extend beyond its protagonist’s comics-accurate costume. Referring to the comics as the show’s “guiding light,” she promised that Ms. Marvel will embrace its source material’s quirky and more stylized elements. Amanat added that this approach meant the Disney+ series includes creative flourishes not seen in other MCU properties.
Kamala Khan hasn’t made the jump from the page to the screen without undergoing a few major changes, though. Ms. Marvel alters Kamala’s origin story and powers, something many fans have objected to. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige defended the decision to rework Ms. Marvel’s history and abilities, arguing that the differences between the canon of the comics versus that of the movies made these changes necessary. “[Kamala] came about in a very specific time within the comic book continuity. She is now coming into a very specific time within the MCU continuity. And those two things didn’t match,” he said.
Director Adil El Arbi appears confident that the MCU’s retooled version of Ms. Marvel will ultimately win fans over, as he’s already suggesting that Kamala Khan could compete with Spider-Man in the MCU. El Arbi cited 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home as the standard the show’s crew was striving to reach and expressed his desire for Kamala’s ongoing character arc to one day match the evolution of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker.
Early reviews of Ms. Marvel indicate that El Arbi’s wish could soon come true, with several critics likening the Disney+ series to 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming. Reviewers also singled out Vellani’s performance and the show’s distinctive tone for praise, as well as the way it mixes live-action footage with animation.
Ms. Marvel arrives on Disney+ on June 8.
Source: Total Film
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