The youngsters are slowly taking over the MCU. With names like Yelena Belova, Peter Parker, Kate Bishop, and America Chavez, Marvel Studios' super-powered franchise is embracing a youth movement at the moment. One of those teenage heroes that have yet to make her debut, has been Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan (aka Ms. Marvel).
Kamala will make her first appearance in Ms. Marvel this June, before showing up on the big screen in The Marvels on July 28, 2023. The fan-favorite comic character is closely tied to Captain Marvel on the page being a Carol Danvers enthusiast, so it will be exciting to see the hero early in her MCU tenure get to come face-to-face with the Avenger she holds so high.
And with Vellani being one of the few MCU stars to have only had streaming experience with the franchise before appearing in a film, she brings an interesting perspective as to how the two Marvel Studios verticals differ.
From Binge-Worth to Blockbuster With Iman Vellani
In an interview with Empire Magazine, Ms. Marvel and The Marvels star Iman Vellani offered her take on the difference between filming an MCU Disney+ series versus a big screen blockbuster.
The young actress called both "completely different [experiences]," noting that they had "the same amount of filming time" for "a lot less content." She called her work on The Marvels much more "relaxed" and praised the "amazing support system" of co-stars Brie Larson and Teyonah Parris:
“It was absolutely amazing, a completely different experience,” smiles Vellani. “You have the same amount of filming time almost to film a lot less content, so everything was more relaxed. And Brie and Teyonah were the most amazing support system, just to have people who have the same pains from doing stunts. We were just crying together. It’s awesome.”
Hanging Out With Ms. Marvel
Iman Vellani sounds like a delight with these quotes. Her character on the screen will be a teenager obsessed with superheroes, and she is exuding that fan-girl energy perfectly despite the cameras not rolling. It really feels like she is as excited about being a part of the MCU as Kamala will be meeting Captain Marvel.
And she does offer an interesting perspective. Ms. Marvel and The Marvels are her first Disney+ and big-screen Marvel blockbuster experiences, so it is fascinating to examine the different processes that go into making both.
It's interesting to hear her talk about the relaxed nature of an MCU movie set vs. an MCU series set, considering film sets are known to be chaotic. It is nice to know that Vellani is feeling more relaxed on set of The Marvels in spite of the bigger theatrical scale, which should bode well for her future with Marvel Studios.
Filming schedules aside, it's also great to hear that Teyonah Parris and Brie Larson have taken the young actress under her wing, making her feel as welcome as they would any other co-star.
Ms. Marvel hits Disney+ on July 15, and The Marvels comes out on July 28, 2023.
