Lashana Lynch is confirmed to be playing Maria Rambeau in Captain Marvel, who in the comic books is the mother of Monica Rambeau, the Ultimates character and the first female character to carry the mantle of "Captain Marvel".

Much speculation has surrounded the role since Wanda DeWise was announced to be playing the character in January. DeWise eventually dropped out and was replaced by Lashana Lynch. Many believed that Lynch would be portraying Monica Rambeau. This theory was supported by the news that Captain Marvel would be partially filmed in New Orleans. New Orleans is where Rambeau was born and raised in the comics.

Related: First Look At Carol Danvers Suited Up In Captain Marvel

EW has revealed the first photos for the upcoming Captain Marvel film. One of them introduces Lashana Lynch as single mother and Air Force pilot Maria Rambeau. Her call sign is "Photon", which is a reference to Monica Rambeau's second superhero identity. EW describes Maria as one of Carol's oldest friends.

Maria Rambeau is the name of Monica's mother in the comic books. The character appeared in various issues of The Avengers during the 1980s when she and her husband, Frank, served as Monica's understanding parents. After developing the ability to transform into any form of electromagnetic energy and becoming an Avenger, Monica occasionally returned to New Orleans to visit her parents, who provided her with valuable advice about her superhero career and her relationships with her fellow Avengers.

In the comics, Rambeau is one of Marvel's two most prominent female African American superheroes, with the other being Storm of the X-Men. Rambeau is also only the second character to call herself "Captain Marvel". However, unlike Carol Danvers, she shares no connection to Mar-Vell and her choosing of the name was simply a coincidence. Rambeau preceded Danvers as Captain Marvel by 30 years. Though no longer associated with the name, Rambeau remains active in the superhero community and has been a key character in the comic book series The Ultimates under her latest moniker, "Spectrum".

It seems likely that Maria's appearance in Captain Marvel will set the stage for the introduction of her daughter in a future film, possibly as a supporting character in a sequel to Captain Marvel, or even as a member of the next iteration of the Avengers. Since Captain Marvel takes place in the early 1990s, Monica is a grown woman in the current time period and could play some role in the future of the MCU.

More: Captain Marvel Trailer Will Be Coming Soon - But When?

Source: EW

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