Move over, Thor and Iron Man.
Marvel's first-ever Muslim superhero will soon make an appearance on the big screen, if the franchise's studio boss gets his way.
Kamala Khan – a fictional Pakistani-American teenager from New Jersey – first donned the Ms Marvel costume in 2013. It was the first time a Muslim superhero headlined a Marvel comic book storyline.
Now, the president of Marvel Studios is gunning for another first. Kevin Feige has confirmed to the BBC that there are tentative plans to introduce Kamala Khan into the Marvel cinematic universe after 2019.
"We're doing Captain Marvel right now," Feige said. "Captain Marvel's shooting right now with [American actress] Brie Larson. Ms Marvel, which is another character in the comic books – the Muslim hero who's inspired by Captain Marvel.
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"It's definitely – sort of – in the works. We have plans for that one once we've introduced Captain Marvel to the world."
Kamala Khan, the Pakistani-American and Muslim teenager who is Ms Marvel.
Photo: Marvel Comics
When Kamala Khan made her Marvel Comics debut, the graphic novel exploring her storyline shot to number two on the New York Times bestseller list in just a few weeks.
There has been a push in recent years for Marvel to diversify its characters and storylines which, in turn, has triggered backlash from some fans who have accused the comic books of bowing to political correctness.
The news Marvel Studios is planning to develop a possible Ms Marvel film has been praised by many in the Muslim community.
The character has in the past been used to push back against anti-Muslim sentiment. For example, when posters began popping up in the US comparing Islam and Nazism, people responded by pasting pictures of Kamala Khan on top of the original posters.
Early-stage discussions about a Ms Marvel film come after the success of the recent Black Panther film. The movie exceeded all expectations and smashed records with a $243 million opening weekend at the US box office.
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Broede Carmody is an entertainment reporter at Fairfax Media.
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