Ms Marvel: What You Need to Know About the MCU’s Teen Superhero

Ms Marvel: What You Need to Know About the MCU’s Teen Superhero
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In March, Marvel Studios kicked off its first television series for the year with Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight, but that isn’t all Disney+ has in store for Marvel fans this year. Following Moon Knight, we’ll be introduced to another new Marvel character, this time in the form of teenage hero Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel.

Here’s what you need to know about the new Disney+ series before you watch.

Who is Ms Marvel?

ms marvel comics
Image: Marvel

Before she becomes Ms Marvel, Kamala Khan is just your normal teenager. She’s part of a Pakistani-American family living in New Jersey and she’s a big fan of superheroes, particularly Captain Marvel.

She is also one of Marvel’s most iconic Muslim characters and will mark a big step forward for diversity in her live-action debut.

Ms Marvel is known for her elongation powers, which allow her to stretch her limbs to great distances and she’s also known to have had the power to shrink and enlarge herself, similar to Ant-Man. Shapeshifting is another common power of hers in the comics.

Going by the first trailer it looks like Marvel has gone with the idea to shift Kamala’s powers to become more cosmic, with manipulation and construction of light taking the place of her engorgement powers.

Here’s what the synopsis for the Disney+ show tells us so far:

Marvel Studios’ Ms. Marvel is a new, original series that introduces Kamala Khan, a Muslim American teenager growing up in Jersey City. An avid gamer and a voracious fan-fiction scribe, Kamala is a Super Hero mega fan with an oversized imagination—particularly when it comes to Captain Marvel. Yet Kamala feels like she doesn’t fit in at school and sometimes even at home—that is, until she gets super powers like the heroes she’s always looked up to. Life gets better with super powers, right?

Do you need to watch anything before Ms Marvel?

Ms Marvel will be an introduction to Kamala Khan in the MCU. It will likely serve as its own standalone origin story so you should be able to dive right in without any prior knowledge.

However, that doesn’t mean background knowledge of Marvel titles won’t help. Like every MCU project, this series will tie into the greater universe of films and shows.

After her solo series, Kamala Khan will next be seen in The Marvels, aka the Captain Marvel sequel alongside Carol Danvers and Monica Rambeau.

Seeing as the character is a big Danvers fangirl, it also makes sense for audiences to have seen the first Captain Marvel or Avengers: Endgame before watching this series.

Cast: Who’s playing who?

ms marvel cast
Screenshot: Disney

To play the pivotal role of Kamala Khan, Marvel cast newcomer Iman Vellani, who will make her big-screen debut in the show.

Alongside her is Aramis Knight, Saagar Shaikh, Rish Shah, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Matt Lintz, Yasmeen Fletcher, Laith Naki, Azher Usman, Travina Springer, Nimra Bucha and Anjali Bhimani. 

The series is created by Bisha K. Ali, and Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah directed two episodes, with all three also sitting as executive producers. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Meera Menon directed the other episodes in the series.

Let’s see the trailer

Marvel Studios dropped the first main trailer for Ms Marvel and it definitely gives off those coming of age vibes.

There’s a follow-up TV spot that showcases the action in the series as well as showing more of Kamala’s cosmic powers.

We also have an official sizzle reel introducing Iman Vellani and her character, which teases some pretty exciting things for the series.

 

We’ve also got our first official poster for the series.

What are the reviews saying?

Now that Ms. Marvel’s first episodes have been sent out to the media, the first reactions to the show are coming in.

All around they seem incredibly positive with many critics praising Iman Vellani and the show’s charming coming-of-age vibes.

Ms Marvel: Australian Release Date

ms marvel disney+
Image: Disney

Initially, Disney confirmed the series will drop in Summer 2022, which is Winter 2022 here in the southern hemisphere. Disney CEO Bob Chapek also confirmed in an earnings report that it would be the next series to release after Moon Knight.

Then Marvel confirmed that Ms Marvel’s six-episode series would have a release date of June 8, 2022.

This means it will slot in before Thor: Love and Thunder’s July release date but after Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in May.

However, it does mean it will compete with the Star Wars side of Disney+ as Obi-Wan Kenobi will also be airing weekly at the time. Looks like June is going to be a streaming-heavy month, friends.

This article has been updated since its original publish date.


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At Lifehacker, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you'll like too. We have affiliate and advertising partnerships, which means we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. BTW – prices are accurate and items in stock at the time of posting.

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