Disney+ Reportedly Cast Marvel's First Onscreen Muslim Hero & Here's What We Know

Grab your cape and get your superpowers charged, because Marvel has reportedly cast its newest hero. According to Deadline, newcomer Iman Vellani is set to star as Disney+'s Ms. Marvel in the series based on the comic book character. A rep for Marvel Studios declined to comment on Elite Daily's request for comment about the casting news.

The news of the Disney+ series is especially huge because the character of Ms. Marvel will be Marvel Studios' first onscreen Muslim hero. In case you need a refresher, Ms. Marvel — who was first introduced to fans in 2014 by writer Bisha K. Ali — is a teen superhero (whose real name is Kamala Khan) who grew up in Jersey City in the 2000s. While Kamala was born in America, her family is from Pakistan. After leaving her friends at a party, Kamala comes in contact with Terrigen Mist (a vapor that can create powers). When Kamala awakens, she learns she has special abilities. In addition to dealing with her newfound skills and hero duties, Kamala is also grappling with normal teen pain points like school drama and family life.

While you might not be as familiar with Kamala's backstory as some of the more well-known heroes, she's a vital member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and even teams up with famous crime fighters like Spider-Man and Wolverine in various comics.

As for the actor who's reportedly portraying her, this will be Vellani's breakout role. On Sept. 30 Kumail Nanjiani — who is starring in the upcoming Marvel film, Eternals — shared his excitement over the casting choice:

From the looks of things, Vellani is a major film buff. She was a part of the Next Wave Committee, a group of teens selected to participate in the 2019 Toronto Film Festival, and in an article about that group, she revealed her Marvel fandom by saying she'd want Iron Man to play her in a movie (lol).

In addition to the Disney+ series, Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige reportedly said the character of Kamala will be included in future Marvel films, which means this is just the start of Ms. Marvel's (and hopefully Iman Vellani's) epic on-screen saga.