Deadline just shared the news that forthcoming Disney Plus series, Ms. Marvel, has found its leading lady. Newcomer Iman Vellani will pick up the Marvel superhero torch in the series, which is expected to debut in 2021.  

We couldn’t be more delighted with the news. Here’s why. 

Vellani Is A Newcomer

Though this isn’t Vellani’s first role, she’s a newcomer to most of the public. Instead of studio executives applying pressure to add star power to the project, the team focused energy on finding the right actress for the role. Odds on Vellani delivering a memorable performance and selling the character to us? High.

She’s a Champion for Diversity

In 2019 at the Toronto Film Festival, Vellani was part of the Next Wave Committee. She worked on adding a special tag to films that the committee believed would resonate with the community, shining a spotlight on films with diverse casts and plot lines. Ms. Marvel, as a champion of diversity in real life just seems right. 

She’s Born to Muslim Immigrants

We’re relieved we didn’t get a white-washed casting for the Disney+ series. In the graphic novels, Ms. Marvel is Kamala Khan, a Pakistani-American teen who lives in New Jersey. Ms. Marvel will mark the studio’s first onscreen Muslim hero. Vellani’s casting is a moment to celebrate. The next generation of Marvel Comic Universe fans will have another hero from an underrepresented group to look up to.

More good news – Kamala Khan is already promised to be included in future Marvel films.   

While the show doesn’t have an official premiere date yet, we’re anxiously awaiting its release. In the meantime, we’ll have plenty of superhero on our Disney+ watchlist with WandaVision, which is expected to release later this year. 

Are you excited for the Ms. Marvel series? Let us know in the comments below!