She is the first Muslim superhero to headline a Marvel comic book series and now fans don't have to wait any longer to see newcomer Iman Vellani as Ms Marvel.
Disney's new and much-anticipated show Ms. Marvel comes out on Wednesday, starring the young Pakistani-Canadian actress as the New Jersey teen, Kamala Khan.
Kamala Khan, who is 16, first appeared in an August 2013 edition of Captain Marvel, and landed her own comic book series in February 2014. She was in part created by comic book artist Sana Amanat, who previously told The National that the character was sparked by a conversation she had with her senior editor, Stephen Wacker, about her own experiences growing up in New Jersey as a Pakistani-American Muslim.
In the comic book, Khan develops polymorphous powers owing to "inhuman" genes and takes over the former identity of her hero Carol Danvers (Danvers drops the Ms Marvel moniker in the Marvel comics after taking on the mantle of Captain Marvel in 2012). She has the ability to shape shift and has powers of elasticity.
“I just hope it opens minds a little bit," Vellani told The National in an interview ahead of the show's debut. “I think that the whole point of our show is subverting labels and expectations that are thrown at you and doing your own thing, because no one can ever be just one label and one thing, and Kamala’s whole arc is marrying the 50 million things that, when combined, make her who she is. I hope people relate to that arc, and seeing that Muslims can be people and brown people are shown having fun on screen — how cool is that?”
Scroll through the below to see photos of the 'Ms. Marvel' premiere:
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Iman Vellani at the premiere of 'Ms Marvel' on June 2, 2022, at El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles. Photo: Invision / AP -
Vellani plays Kamala Khan, also known as Ms Marvel, the world's first Muslim superhero. Photo: Invision / AP -
Laurel Marsden arrived at the premiere in a refined ensemble. Photo: Invision / AP -
Alysia Reiner, who plays Sadie Deever. Photo: Invision / AP -
Travina Springer dazzled in a green dress on the red carpet. Photo: Invision / AP -
Mohan Kapoor waved to fans at the event. Photo: Invision / AP -
Rish Shah arrived wearing a smart casual outfit. Photo: Invision / AP -
Laith Nakli, who plays Sheikh Abdullah in the show. Photo: Invision / AP -
Saagar Shaikh, who plays Kamal's older brother Aamir Khan in the Disney+ series, looked relaxed on the red carpet. Photo: Invision / AP -
The Red Dagger is played by Aramis Knight, who wore an eye-catching outfit at the event. Photo: Invision / AP -
Ali Alsaleh, who plays Aadam in the show, on the red carpet. Photo: Invision / AP -
Meera Menon, who directed episodes two and three of the series, joined the show's cast and crew at the premiere. Photo: Invision / AP -
Zenobia Shroff plays Muneeba Khan, Kamala's mother. Photo: Invision / AP -
Samina Ahmed joined the star-studded cast. Photo: Invision / AP -
Yasmeen Fletcher wore a stunning black dress with gold-trimmed accessories to complete her look. Photo: Invision / AP -
British-Nigerian actress Adaku Ononogbo, who plays Fariha, looked elegant in front of fans. Photo: Invision / AP -
Xochitl Gomez, who plays America Chavez in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, at the premiere. Photo: Invision / AP -
Cast member Matt Lintz. Photo: Invision / AP -
Executive producer Louis D'Esposito, left, and president of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige. AFP -
Actress Vardah Aziz portrayed Zainab in Ms. Marvel. AFP -
Jordan Firstman, who plays Wilson in the Disney+ series, at the event. AFP -
Anjali Bhimani wore an elegant dress, completed with a clutch bag, while attending the premiere. AFP -
Double Oscar-winning director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy attended. AFP -
Mehwish Hayat at the premiere ahead of the show's Disney+ debut on June 8. AFP -
Actress Iman Karram wore a vibrant outfit paired with chunky heels on the night. EPA -
Malvika Sheth joined cast and crew at the Ms Marvel premiere. EPA
Here's everything you need to know about the show.
When is 'Ms. Marvel' coming out?
The show will stream on Disney+ on Wednesday, coinciding with the launch of the streaming platform in the Middle East. The first season of Ms. Marvel will contain six episodes.
The first episode premieres at 12.01am Pacific time, which is 11.01am in the UAE.
Episodes will then come out on a weekly basis until July 13.
Who is in the cast?
The show stars Vellani as Khan in her first acting credit. She was announced for the role in October 2020, months after Disney revealed that it was turning the comic book into a live-action series.
The rest of the young cast consists of Aramis Knight as Kareem (who is also a vigilante named Red Dagger), Saagar Shaikh as Kamala's older brother, Matt Lintz as Kamala's best friend and Rish Shah as Karman. Zenobia Shroff and Mohan Kapur will play her parents, Muneeba and Yusuf Khan.
How will 'Ms. Marvel' tie into the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
In the series, like the comic book, Khan is a huge admirer of Captain Marvel. This is where she takes her superhero moniker from. The MCU is set to release a 2023 sequel to Captain Marvel, titled The Marvels, which is expected to also feature Vellani as Khan. It will also star Brie Larson and Teyonah Parris as Captain Marvel and Monica Rambeau.
How can I watch it in the Middle East?
Disney+ is available in the Middle East from Wednesday.
The media and entertainment conglomerate is marking the launch of Disney+ in the Mena region on Wednesday with an event at Dubai Opera. The streaming platform has launched in 65 global markets to date and is releasing in more than a dozen countries in the region, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Algeria, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine and Oman.
With 1,200 films, more than 1,000 TV shows and 100 exclusive originals, the confirmed library of content on launch is staggering, and includes titles from Disney, Marvel, National Geographic, Star Wars and more.
The service is available for a monthly fee of Dh29.99 and can be registered for on the website.
A version of this article was first published on November 14, 2021.
All the Marvel films and shows expected in 2022 — in pictures
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'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' came out on May 6. Photo: Marvel -
The first episode in the 'She-Hulk' series is due out on August 17 on Disney+. Photo: Marvel -
Expect 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' – Part One on October 7. Photo: Sony Animation -
'Moon Knight', which was released in March, has links to the region, with an Egyptian filmmaker and actress involved, and some filming done in Jordan. Photo: Marvel -
Jared Leto plays Michael Morbius in 'Morbius', out on April 1. Photo: Sony Pictures -
'Ms Marvel' introduced the world to the first Muslim superhero this summer. Photo: Marvel -
Chris Hemsworth reprised his role as Thor in 'Thor: Love and Thunder', which came out on July 8. Photo: Marvel -
'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' comes out on November 22. Photo: Marvel
