After an extensive search, Disney has chosen newcomer Iman Vellani to star in the title role of its upcoming Ms Marvel TV series.
As reported by Deadline, the series, based on the comic book character of the same name, will centre around a Pakistani-American teenager with shapeshifting powers.
Excitingly, the show will mark Marvel’s first Muslim leading character, as well as the first-ever on-screen Muslim superhero.
Along with the series set to air on Disney+, Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige has said that the character of Kamala Khan, A.K.A. Ms Marvel, will also appear in future Marvel films.
The series will be directed by a team including Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Meera Menon.
18-year-old Vellani, who is the daughter of Pakistani Muslim immigrants herself, took to Instagram to express her delight undertaking the role.
“Speechless and excited! Wish me luck,” she said.
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While Ms Marvel is Vellani’s first major acting role, she has already made an impact when it comes to helping to diversify the industry.
Vellani was a part of the Next Wave Committee at the 2019 Toronto Film Festival, which was tasked with determining which films would resonate with their peers.
Pakistani-American actor Kumail Nanjiani congratulated Vellani over on Twitter, saying the announcement “legit got [him] teary-eyed.”
“Your work is going to mean so much to so many people, myself included. I can’t wait,” he said.
Mindy Kaling also sent her well-wishes, saying, “what a joy in these trying times to see that #MsMarvel (a Pakistani American teen superhero!) has cast its lead role… I can’t wait to see the show! #RepresentationMatters.”
In other Marvel news, Orphan Black‘s Tatiana Maslany has recently been cast in Disney +’s upcoming series She-Hulk.
On top of Ms Marvel and She-Hulk, which do not yet have release dates, fans can look forward to another upcoming female-led superhero series.
WandaVision, based on the character of Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch, will be released on Disney+ in December this year.
Check out all the other things coming soon to Disney+:
