If there’s anything you need to know about Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, the latest character readying her entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s that she’s a total fangirl. Sure, Peter Parker was always overawed at finding himself fighting alongside Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. But the similarly teenaged Khan – a Pakistani-American high-schooler living in Jersey City, soon to be portrayed on screen by Iman Vellani – is a next-level nerd when it comes to the powered-up people that inhabit her world. Just take a look at her Captain Marvel cosplay in Empire’s exclusive new image, above. Judging by the lanyard on her best friend Bruno’s (Matt Lintz) neck, and a certain familiar shield in the background, could they be attending ‘New Jersey AvengerCon’?
For Kamala Khan’s creator Sana Amanat (who's heavily involved in the series adaptation), Vellani was a clear fit for the character right from her Zoom audition – a Marvel fangirl through and through. “She showed me every corner of her room, and it was covered with Avengers,” laughs Amanat. “Then she said, ‘Oh wait, I’m not done’, opened up her closet, and there was more Marvel everywhere.” That giddy energy and teenage enthusiasm were ideal for a character who “isn’t your traditional Avenger,” Amanat explains. “She’s not as slick and suave as some superheroes. It’s not like when Captain America throws his shield and it comes back. She’s all over the place. I’m excited for people to get to know her.”
Who knows – maybe further down the line, Vellani won’t just be rubbing shoulders with the rest of the Marvel universe (she'll also be featuring in The Marvels with Captain Marvel and Monica Rambeau), but pitching ideas right to the top. “She gave me a list of feedback on every single Marvel movie,” remembers Amanat. “Kevin Feige is like her Carol Danvers.” It all sounds like a match made in heaven.
Read Empire’s full Ms. Marvel story in the Jurassic World Dominion issue, on sale Thursday 14 April and available to pre-order here. Ms. Marvel begins streaming on Disney+ from 8 June.