The MCU is welcoming its first Muslim superhero into the fold.
After 2020 was a rare year without a Marvel release, 2021 is more than making up for it – with Ms Marvel looking to be the sixth MCU Disney Plus show this year.
The show will follow the titular teenage superhero as played by Iman Vellani, who has become a fan-favourite since she was introduced in 2013 and was the star of the recent Avengers game.
As with previous Marvel shows such as Loki, Ms Marvel will cross over to the MCU films, with the character already confirmed for an all-female superhero team-up in Captain Marvel 2, aka The Marvels.
With Hawkeye now aiming for a November premiere, Ms Marvel is now the only 2021 MCU project without a release date, despite filming wrapping back in May.
We’ll just have to wait a little longer to see the MCU’s first Muslim superhero in her very own show then, which is being directed by Bad Boys For Life duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah.
If you’re having trouble keeping up with the MCU, find out more about the many upcoming Marvel TV series on Disney+ or check out our comprehensive overview of the Marvel movies in order.
Here’s everything we know so far about Ms Marvel on Disney Plus.
Ms Marvel release date on Disney+
Ms Marvel is currently scheduled for release on Disney Plus in late 2021.
Filming began in November 2020 in Atlanta and New Jersey, and wrapped in Thailand in May 2021.
However, it is becoming increasingly unclear when Ms Marvel could fit into Marvel’s packed 2021 schedule – the show was initially expected in October 2021, but during a July 2021 interview with Jeremy Renner, Entertainment Weekly reported that Hawkeye will be the next live-action Marvel Disney Plus show.
Hawkeye will premiere in November 2021, suggesting Ms Marvel will be released at a later date. However Hawkeye’s weekly episodes are expected to air until late December, leaving little room for Ms Marvel unless there is some sort of overlap.
In July 2021 Marvel’s Vice President of film production Victoria Alonso told Variety that Ms Marvel would still premiere before the end of the year, ruling out a 2022 release – but after years of juggling the schedule of a cinematic universe, we’re sure Marvel has a plan up their sleeves.
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Ms Marvel cast
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Iman Vellani has been cast in the lead role of Kamala Khan, who will also be a major character in the upcoming Captain Marvel sequel, where she’ll cross paths with Carol Danvers (Brie Larson) and WandaVision‘s Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris).
The supporting cast will include Saagar Shaikh as Kamala’s brother Amir, The Walking Dead’s Matt Lintz as her best friend Bruno and Aramis Knight (Into The Badlands) as vigilante Red Dagger.
Relative newcomer Laurel Marsden, who gained attention starring opposite Sophie Turner in disaster drama Survive, will star as Zoe Zimmer. Much like Spider-Man’s relationship with Flash Thompson, Zimmer is an occasional bully and later friend of protagonist Kamala Khan, and is the very first person the superheroine saves in the comics.
Bisha K Ali, who helmed Mindy Kaling’s Four Weddings and a Funeral series for US streaming site Hulu, is reportedly on board to lead the writer’s room.
Meanwhile, Ms Marvel is assembling an impressive roster of directors to helm its episodes, including Bad Boys for Life directing duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah.
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy will also be a director on the series, having previously won two Academy Awards in the documentary short category, while The Punisher’s Meera Menon has joined the lineup too.
Narcos cinematographer Carmen Cabana is also working on the series, while Arjun Bhasin will be the show’s costume designer following his work on A Suitable Boy.
What is Ms Marvel about?
The new series will introduce Kamala Khan, aka Ms Marvel, as a force to be reckoned with in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The teenage hero first appeared in Marvel Comics in 2013 and has the power to manipulate her body on a molecular level, shrinking and growing at will.
Very little is known about the Disney+ show, but a recent casting call has hinted towards classic comic characters Red Dagger and the Inhuman Kamran featuring in the series.
Red Dagger is a Pakistan native who protects the streets of Karachi with his proficiency in knives, before moving in with family friend Kamala Khan.
Kamran is Kamala’s childhood friend, who gains his energy discharge powers at the same time as Kamala but chooses to use them for evil.
It has also been confirmed that Ms Marvel will crossover with the big-screen Captain Marvel sequel, as Brie Larson’s powerful hero is a huge inspiration to Kamala in her early life.
Is Ms Marvel a mutant?
Not in the comics. Instead, Ms Marvel is an Inhuman, who receives her powers after the transformative Terrigen Mists descended on Jersey City, following the explosive events of Jonathan Hickman’s Infinity crossover.
The mists activated her dormant Inhuman genes, activating her incredible powers and setting her on the path to being one of Marvel’s most iconic characters.
However, it is possible this origin could be changed for her live-action appearance, given that Marvel’s Inhumans television series on ABC proved to be a critical and commercial bomb.
To avoid any continuity headaches, it may be simpler for Kevin Feige to tweak Ms Marvel’s origin for his cinematic universe, so it’s not impossible that she could debut as one of its first mutants.
Ms Marvel trailer
While there’s not a full-length trailer for Ms Marvel just yet, Disney has released the “sizzle” below which introduces the character and gives a sneak peek at some early shots from the series.
Is Ms Marvel the same as Captain Marvel?
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Not exactly. Carol Danvers once held the moniker of Ms Marvel in the comics, while a Kree alien named Mar-Vell went by the name Captain Marvel.
However, Danvers transitioned from Ms Marvel to Captain Marvel in 2012, leaving her original name vacant for young Kamala Khan to inherit it.
Khan is depicted as being a huge admirer of Captain Marvel, hence why she’s so keen to take on the prestigious title.
Ms Marvel is coming soon to Disney+ – sign up for £7.99 a month or £79.90 a year.
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