It’s finally happening. Rumors that Kamala Kahn, the first Muslim superhero to headline a Marvel comic, will join the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been circulating for years. Now, The Hollywood Reporter reports that Disney is developing a show centered on the teenager, who goes by the codename Ms. Marvel, for its new streaming service Disney+.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ms. Marvel will be written and run by Bisha K. Ali, a screenwriter and comedian who recently worked on Hulu original series Four Weddings and a Funeral. No release date, episode count, or casting information was provided, although more information might arrive at D23’s Disney+ showcase later this afternoon.
In the comics, Kamala is a high school student and superhero fan who is exposed to a substance known as the Terrigen Mist, which unlocks her latent Inhuman powers. Armed with the ability to “embiggen”, i.e. change her shape and size as she sees fit, Kamala adopts the name of her idol, Ms. Marvel, and protects her New Jersey neighborhood from a never-ending cascade of villains.
Kamala Kahn isn’t the first superheroine to go by the name Ms. Marvel. In the comics, the name was used by Carol Danvers, who MCU fans know better as Captain Marvel, for decades. Carol switched from Ms. to Captain in 2012.
Kamala Kahn was co-created by Marvel editors Sana Amanat and Stephen Wacker, writer G. Willow Wilson, and artists Adrian Alphona and Jamie McKelvie, and quickly became a fan-favorite following her 2014 debut. Ms. Marvel’s original comic series has been nominated for a number of Eisner Awards (the comic industry’s equivalent of the Oscars), scored a Hugo for Best Graphic Story, and has received praise from critics for its frank, nuanced depiction of life as a young Muslim in modern America.
Like Spider-Man, Kamala’s superheroic adventures often take a backseat to real-life concerns, including her dating life and struggles in school, while her geeky, fangirl-esque tendencies resonate with a large number of readers. If Tom Holland’s Spider-Man really is saying goodbye to the MCU, Kamala Kahn could provide Marvel’s shared cinematic universe with a similar perspective.
Ms. Marvel is just one of many MCU tie-ins planned for Disney+, although it’s the first that hasn’t stemmed from an existing big-screen property. Other MCU Disney+ series include Loki, Falcon and Winter Soldier, and WandaVision, which stars the Vision and the Scarlet Witch.
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