Iman Vellani delivered a stellar performance as Kamala Khan in Ms. Marvel, later making the leap to the big screen with The Marvels. At the conclusion of the latter, Captain Marvel had decided to remain on Earth, likely as a mentor to the teenager, though Kamala had already set out to assemble a team of her own.
It appears the Young Avengers are somewhere on the horizon and, talking to Polygon during Saturday's 2024 Anime Awards, Vellani confirmed she's set to return as the mutant superhero...eventually.
"I have been assured," she said, reassuring fans that Ms. Marvel has a future in the MCU. "So that feels good, but there was no more assurance than that. [laugh] They give me breadcrumbs, and I try and make a meal out of it."
The closing moments of Ms. Marvel confirmed that Kamala is a mutant and she may end up joining the X-Men when that team is finally introduced.
Unfortunately, The Marvels grossed only $206 million at the worldwide box office and, last year, Vellani explained why she wasn't letting that get to her. "I don’t want to focus on something that’s not even in my control, because what’s the point?" she said. "That’s for [Disney CEO] Bob Iger."
"[The box office] has nothing to do with me," Vellani continued. "I’m happy with the finished product, and the people that I care about enjoyed the film. It’s genuinely a good time watching this movie, and that’s all we can ask for with these films. It has superheroes, it take place in space, it’s not that deep and it’s about teamwork and sisterhood. It’s a fun movie, and I’m just so happy that I can share it with people."
Discussing some of the sexist backlash the movie faced, the actress added, "I had a lot of experience in high school alone when I would share my excitement with someone, and then they’d immediately shut me down for being so excited. I would hate to see that within the fan community as well, because it does feel awful."
"If people are excited about something, let them be excited about it. And if you have constructive criticism, voice it — but never be the wet blanket on someone else’s excitement."
Ms. Marvel boasts a Rotten Tomatoes score of 98%, though we still don't know how many people tuned into the 6-episode Disney+ series. With that in mind, when Vellani does return to the MCU, we expect it to be as part of an ensemble in a project such as Young Avengers.
Stay tuned for updates as we have them.