Marvel Studios has cast newcomer Iman Vellani as the MCU's Ms. Marvel - and it's undoubtedly the right decision. Kamala Khan was created in 2014, and she immediately made headlines as Marvel Comics' first Muslim-American superhero to star in her own solo book. The character has become a firm fan-favorite, with her ongoing comic book series continuing to the present day, and she even now leads her own superhero team. Kamala has been adapted for Marvel Television's animated series Marvel Rising, and she's a playable character in the Avengers game, too.

This success story has even drawn the attention of Marvel Studios. Ms. Marvel is set to star in her own Disney+ TV series, and Marvel has already confirmed she'll then enjoy some big screen appearances as well, presumably beginning with Captain Marvel 2. Now Marvel's ground-breaking superhero has finally been cast, with newcomer Imran Vellani taking the role of Kamala Khan. Marvel hasn't officially commented on the news, but Ms. Marvel co-creator G. Willow Wilson has celebrated the casting on social media, calling Vellani "the real deal." Viewers can be forgiven for not recognizing Vellani's name, because she's a brand new actress; at time of writing, you won't even find her referenced on IMDb.

Related: The Difference Between Captain Marvel and Ms. Marvel Explained

It's a surprising choice, and it appears to reflect just how committed Marvel was to getting this right. They needed an actress of the right age and ethnicity, and who could portray a very specific type of character. It's likely they also needed to make sure she had the right kind of chemistry with established MCU stars, most notably Brie Larson, who plays Captain Marvel. In the comics, Carol Danvers is Kamala Khan's inspiration, and Marvel has already confirmed they want the relationship between these two to be comic-book-accurate. Marvel is known to have gone through a long and arduous process making their casting decision, and presumably Iman Vellani ticked all the right boxes.

Kamala Khan Ms Marvel New Costume

The casting of Iman Vellani is an exciting step forward for the MCU in terms of diversity. Not only is the franchise gaining a celebrated, high-profile Muslim superhero, but it is also becoming a vehicle for up-and-coming actors. Vellani may not have any major Hollywood credits behind her, but she's already been involved in attempts to diversify the industry; she was part of the Toronto Film Festival's Next Wave Committee in 2019. There, Vellani tagged films she believed would resonate with her peers, identifying Taika Waititi's Boy and Levan Akin's And Then We Danced.

The MCU has developed a strong reputation for making the right casting choices; given the effort Marvel went to in order to find their Ms. Marvel, it's safe to assume they'll have made the right call here as well. Hopefully it won't be long before Kamala Khan is joined by members of her own superhero team from the comics, the Champions, and other diverse young actors are given an opportunity to step into the spotlight as well.

Next: Every Upcoming Marvel Studios Disney+ TV Show

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