There’s a new superhero in town.
On March 15, Disney+ shared the first trailer for its anticipated new series, Ms. Marvel, which centers around the MCU’s first on-screen Muslim superhero.
The trailer introduces Kamala Khan, a Muslim American teenager from Jersey City who looks up to Captain Marvel (Brie Larson).
Slated to take on the iconic character is newcomer Iman Vellani, who was originally announced to star in September 2020.
Not only does it mark Vellani’s first-ever onscreen role, but she is already set to star in another big MCU project next year. (Hint: it has to do with Captain Marvel!)
As you get ready to dive into the next big MCU adventure, here’s everything you need to know about the show and its central superhero.
Who is Ms. Marvel?
Ms. Marvel is the superhero alias of Kamala Khan, a Muslim American teenager from Jersey City who is a megafan of Captain Marvel. Kamala spends most of her life feeling like she doesn’t fit in until she makes the fascinating discovery that she has superpowers just like the heroes she looks up to.
In the comics, Kamala is later revealed to be an Inhuman, “a race of humans descended from genetically-enhanced forebears who can manifest powers when exposed to a substance known as the Terrigen Mists,” per Entertainment Weekly.
What are Ms. Marvel’s powers?
As EW notes, in the comics, Kamala has superpowers similar to those of Ant-Man in that she can change the size of her body. She can also change the size of just one part of her body, including making a huge fist.
However, the trailer seems to tease that Ms. Marvel’s powers will slightly differ in the live-action adaptation. Instead, Kamala’s powers are more similar to Doctor Strange’s, in that she is seen manipulating energy into blasts, forcefields, and stepping stones.
How does Ms. Marvel connect to Captain Marvel?
In the comics, Kamala actually assumes the mantle of Ms. Marvel from Carol Danvers. Danvers was originally referred to as Ms. Marvel when she first got powers in 1977, but she later becomes known as Captain Marvel.
In the comics, Captain Marvel acts as a mentor for Ms. Marvel, and the two work together on several different projects over time.
Who’s in the cast of Ms. Marvel?
In addition to Vellani in the titular role, the cast also includes Aramis Knight, Saagar Shaikh, Rish Shah, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapur, Matt Lintz, Yasmeen Fletcher, Laith Nakli, Azhar Usman, Travina Springer, and Nimra Bucha. Their specific roles have not yet been confirmed.
When does Ms. Marvel premiere?
The six-episode series starts streaming on June 8 on Disney+. Given the rollout for previous Marvel series, it’s likely that new episodes will drop weekly.
Will Ms. Marvel be in The Marvels movie?
Thankfully, this isn’t the last we’ll see of Ms. Marvel. The character is slated to appear in the upcoming Captain Marvel sequel titled The Marvels. The film, which is set to release in early 2023, will star Khan as Ms. Marvel, Larson as Captain Marvel, Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau, and Zawe Ashton in an undisclosed role.