Ms. Marvel Casting Announcements Embiggen
Marvel Studios released some new footage about the upcoming Disney+ series, Ms. Marvel, at the Disney Investor Day 2020 presentation. Also, Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios and Chief Creative Officer of Marvel, announced that Ms. Marvel would be sharing the big screen with Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) and Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) in Captain Marvel 2.
Since Disney Investor Day 2020, the casting news has been rolling in.
Marvel Team-Up (2019) #1-6 by Eve Ewing (writer), Clint McElroy (writer), Ig Guara (artist), Moy R (artist), Joey Vasquez (artist), and Anna Rud (cover artist). Photo: Marvel
Marvel Studios tweeted a welcome announcement to the newest inhuman addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, saying, “Ms. Marvel, a newer character to Marvel comics, has grabbed the world’s imagination, and we are excited to announce Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan. Ms. Marvel, an Original Series from Marvel Studios, is coming late 2021 to #DisneyPlus.”
Marvel Studios Welcomes Iman Vellani
At The Walt Disney Company’s Investor Day presentation, Feige officially introduced newcomer Iman Vellani – who will star as Ms. Marvel on the small and big screens – in a Sizzle Reel about the casting process.
Meet Ms. Marvel in the video (linked below) first shared at the Disney Investor Day presentation.
Ms. Marvel centers on Kamala Khan, who is a 16-year-old Pakistani-American trying to save lives and fight injustice from New Jersey. Not only is Khan an inhuman superhero, but she is an avid gamer and fan-fiction writer with a particular soft spot for Carol Danvers’ Captain Marvel (who inspired Khan to put on the cape). And she just wants to fit in at home and school.
Kamala Khan first appeared in 2014 as Marvel Comics’ first Muslim superhero, and she will become Marvel Studios’ first onscreen Muslim hero.
Ms. Marvel Casting Announcements Continue
There was so much news about Ms. Marvel casting that my head had to grow just to keep all the information straight! At the presentation, it was also announced that Nimra Bucha and Azhar Usman are in the series but undisclosed roles.
Strong, fierce, deadly. Nimra Bucha plays Batool on the Pakistani original web series, Churails. Photo: Zindagi
Nimra Bucha is a talented Pakistani actor known for her role on the much-hyped web series Churails on ZEE5, as well as her work on great projects like Manto, Ho Mann Jahaan, Azad, and Gardaab.
Photo: Azhar.com
Usman is an outspoken standup comedian and television writer, and according to the biography on his personal website:
An American Muslim of Indian descent, he is a former attorney and Internet startup entrepreneur. Most recently, Azhar was a writer and advisor on the Golden Globe and Peabody Award winning Hulu original series, ’RAMY’, and he currently serves as a staff writer on an untitled original Netflix series. He is considered a pioneer in the world of so-called ‘Muslim comedy,’ as the co-founder of the Allah Made Me Funny–Official Muslim Comedy Tour, which toured the world for over a decade. As an actor, he played a recurring role in the critically-acclaimed, Amazon original series Patriot. As a creative consultant and producer, Azhar’s credits include: The Boundary (HBO); Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King (Netflix); Hannibal Buress: Comedy Camisado (Netflix); Mo Amer: The Vagabond (Netflix); and Ramy (Hulu).
Ms. Marvel Casting Announcements – The Home Stretch
Joining Vellani, Bucha, and Usman in Ms. Marvel, Aramis Knight (Kareen/Red Dagger), Saagar Shaikh (Aamir Khan), Rish Shah (Kamran), Zenobia Shroff (Muneeba Khan/Kamala’s Mom), Mohan Kapur (Yusuf Khan), Matt Lintz (Bruno Carrelli), Yasmeen Fletcher (Nakia Bahadir), Laith Naki (Sheikh Abdullah), and Travina Springer (Tyesha Hillman).
Here is a rundown of the casting announcements – along with the comic book versions of the character –from Ms. Marvel News:
🚨 Muslim actress Travina Springer has officially been cast as Tyesha Hillman, Kamala Khan’s sister-in-law, in Ms. Marvel
source: https://t.co/TtD06IBnFK pic.twitter.com/aeAi3mWra0
— Ms. Marvel News (@MsMarvelNews) December 11, 2020
🚨 Rish Shah has officially been cast as Kamran in Ms. Marvel
source: https://t.co/TtD06IBnFK pic.twitter.com/fuChd1Ce3Y
— Ms. Marvel News (@MsMarvelNews) December 11, 2020
🚨 Pakistani-American actor Saagar Shaikh has officially been cast as Aamir Khan, Kamala Khan’s brother, in Ms. Marvel pic.twitter.com/tsObRi0itG
— Ms. Marvel News (@MsMarvelNews) December 11, 2020
🚨 Mohan Kapoor has officially been cast as Yusuf Khan, Kamala Khan’s father
source: https://t.co/TtD06IBnFK pic.twitter.com/O68QOYD93V
— Ms. Marvel News (@MsMarvelNews) December 11, 2020
https://twitter.com/MsMarvelNews/status/1337223785414586368?s=20
🚨 BREAKING NEWS: Yasmeen Fletcher (“Andi Mack”) is confirmed to play Nakia Bahadir, Kamala’s best friend, in MS. MARVEL.
Source: https://t.co/25ofrk1baX pic.twitter.com/oKjOFy4Joh
— Ms. Marvel News (@MsMarvelNews) December 4, 2020
🚨 BREAKING NEWS: Laith Nakli (“Ramy”) is confirmed to play Sheikh Abdullah in MS. MARVEL.
Source: https://t.co/25ofrk1baX pic.twitter.com/7KKo65ytUz
— Ms. Marvel News (@MsMarvelNews) December 4, 2020
🚨 BREAKING NEWS: Zenobia Shroff (“The Big Sick”, “The Affair”) is confirmed to play Muneeba Khan, Kamala’s mom, in MS. MARVEL.
Source: https://t.co/25ofrk1baX pic.twitter.com/IDqK8PJeuY
— Ms. Marvel News (@MsMarvelNews) December 4, 2020
Based on a script from writer Bisha K. Ali, Adil El Arbi, Bilall Fallah, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, and Meera Menon are all directors on the project that is landing on Disney+ in late 2021.
What’s the Ms. Marvel Casting Controversy?
The latest casting announcements have been controversial among people who want to see representation (but done right) on the series starring the first Muslim superhero, Ms. Marvel. To understand the #FixMsMarvel movement, a journalist for the online publication, The Geekiary, spoke to people running the @MsMarvelNews account that is spearheading the campaign.
In light of the recent controversies in casting choices, we at Ms. Marvel News would like to say that we are not associated with the Ms. Marvel streaming show, and we do not condone them. #FixMsMarvel
— Ms. Marvel News (@MsMarvelNews) December 7, 2020
Please read what people have to say here (at this link) because it addresses the issue better than my personal experiences allow me to do. Although I am very excited to see Kamala Khan come to the MCU, it’s important to recognize and discuss the casting controversy at Marvel Studios.
The #FixMsMarvel movement asks the general public to think about problematic casting decisions in a social and historical context, and in my opinion, that is worth a ponder. Since these casting considerations don’t personally impact me as an ex-performer, the concerns raised in the #BrownIsBeautiful thread were enlightening. And, no, some parts aren’t just acting. What do you think of the #FixMsMarvel movement? Are you looking forward to watching Ms. Marvel in 2021?
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