Marvel’s next female superhero star might be Muslim teen, Ms. Marvel
As the demand for diverse superheroes rises, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has hinted at some exciting company news. In an interview with the BBC, Feige revealed that there may be a new movie centered on Ms. Marvel, aka Kamala Khan, a Pakastani-American teenager from New Jersey, who was introduced in the comic books back in 2013.
“Ms. Marvel . . . is definitely sort of in the works,” Feige told the network.
No more details were provided, but Feige did suggest that the character’s appearance would follow the “Captain Marvel” movie starring Brie Larson, set to premiere in 2019. Larson’s turn as cosmic hero Carol Danvers represents Marvel’s first foray into a female-led film.
While “definitely sort of” doesn’t exactly sound like a surefire confirmation, the mere possibility of a movie based on Ms. Marvel, a female and Muslim superhero, has both fans and those in the entertainment industry alike pretty excited. “The Night Of” star Riz Ahmed tweeted that he would be interested in writing the script for the movie along with actress and comedic writer Mindy Kaling and “The Big Sick” actor and screenwriter Kumail Nanjiani:
https://twitter.com/rizmc/status/996541121537994752
Marvel editor and co-creator of Ms. Marvel, Sana Amanat, heartily approved of this idea:
Totally second this. Also folks like Riz, Mindy, Kumail championing Ms Marvel is incredible in itself. We have so few brown folks in power like this and I love that they are constantly raising their voice to raise all of ours. https://t.co/mM11xz2nZK
— sana amanat (@MiniB622) May 16, 2018
Others are already speculating on casting, with many suggesting actress Priyanka Chopra would be perfect in the lead role. A beloved Bollywood star with some impressive American TV credits, last year Chopra made her Hollywood live-action film debut as Victoria Leeds in “Baywatch.”
Not everyone was enthusiastic about Chopra as Ms. Marvel, however, with some arguing that at 35, she may be too old to realistically play a teenager. Chopra is also of Indian descent, while the character of Kamala Khan is Pakistani-American, as this fan pointed out on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/KlNGTAEYEON/status/995439353831636992
Someone else suggested 24-year-old Pakistani actress Sajal Ali should be cast in the lead role instead:
https://twitter.com/gamorasparker/status/995378293972000768
Regardless of casting, many people took to social media to express their enthusiasm for Marvel’s move toward diversity and inclusion, like this fan who is excited for greater representation of South Asians in the superhero genre:
https://twitter.com/tonythtark/status/995350529659297792
And the news of a possible Ms. Marvel film moved some fans to tears:
https://twitter.com/taiwaititi/status/995590165199548418
Are you excited for a Ms. Marvel movie?