Given that Frozen Mouse Fever is based in the Great White North, we were ecstatic when they announced this week that Canadian newcomer Iman Vellani was cast as Ms. Marvel in the upcoming Disney+ series. With casting announcements being made left and right for the future of the MCU, we thought it would be a good time to reflect on Ms. Marvel and our other favourite Marvel characters coming to the cinematic universe.
Of course, just like all MCU fans, we’re excited for “WandaVision”, “Loki”, “Black Widow”, “The Falcon and Winter Solder”, and other upcoming Marvel films featuring the heroes we know and love, but here, we’re only focusing on the characters and heroes who haven’t seen the light of day in the MCU. So let’s strap on our capes and dive in!
Ms. Marvel
Let’s kick this off with Ms. Marvel herself. Kamala Khan is Marvel’s first Muslim character to headline their own comic book. Khan, a Pakistani-American teenager, has the ability to shapeshift and uses the moniker Ms. Marvel to honour her hero Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel. With news that Disney+ was making a Ms. Marvel series, we were all nervous and excited to see who would be casted in the titular role. After a long search, Disney finally casted Canadian newcomer Iman Vellani. As a Canadian myself, I’m excited to see a Canadian cast in this role. But I’m most excited to see a young Muslim girl being portrayed as an American hero – something we clearly don’t see nearly enough.
Shang-Chi
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” is coming to the big screen next year. The film, based on the comic book character Shang-Chi, will be Marvel’s first Asian led film. Shang-Chi is known for his martial arts skills and his weaponry wushu style. Last summer it was announced that Simu Liu, a Chinese-Canadian actor, was cast to play the title role. Liu known for his work in CBC’s “Kim’s Convenience”, had been vocal on social media about wanting to be cast in this film. Asian actors have often been underrepresented in television and film in general so “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” is long overdue! Liu is a champion of representation and is the perfect fit for this unique role!
She-Hulk
She-Hulk is coming to Disney+ and Canadian actress Tatiana Maslany has been cast in the titular role. I may be just a little excited that three Canadians are on this list! Jennifer Walters, attorney and cousin of Bruce Banner, gets a blood transfusion from her cousin and becomes She-Hulk. What makes Walters different than Banner is when she ‘hulks out’ she still keeps her personality and intelligence. Maslany is best known for her Emmy winning work on “Orphan Black” and has already proven she can ACT! She is more than capable to fill this role and any other role the show needs to be filled if we’re being honest. There aren’t nearly enough female-led Superhero movies or series in the MCU so this is a welcome addition to the franchise!
Sersi
Let me start by saying the “Eternals” cast is stacked with big names like Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek and many many more. Choosing which characters I’m most excited to see on the big screen was tough. The Eternals are a group of immortal heroes who all have similar powers including projecting cosmic energy, super strength, levitation, and self healing. Sersi is one of the more well-known and powerful Eternals. Her transmutation powers are more powerful than the rest of her race. She’s also different from the other Eternals in that she loves to interact with humans. In the comic books, Sersi has worked with The Avengers, including Thor and Captain America. Gemma Chan, known for her role as Astrid in “Crazy Rich Asians”, has been cast to play Sersi in the MCU film, and since Chan is no stranger to the MCU (she played Minn-Erva in “Captain Marvel”), we have no doubt she’s going to kick serious butt in this film!
Phastos
In the comic book, Phastos doesn’t appear until much later on as a part of the Eternals. In addition to the powers that all the Eternals have, Phastos is known for his weapons and is a master technologist. While he is a smaller character in the comic books, I have a good feeling that won’t be the case in the upcoming MCU movie. In the movie, Phastos will be played by Brian Tyree Henry known for his brilliant work in the TV series “Atlanta”. Henry’s Phastos will be the first openly gay character in the MCU; he will have a husband and a child in the film. It’s incredible that we will finally get to see not only a LGBTQ+ character, but also an LGBTQ+ relationship too.
Makkari
Makkari is a member of the Eternals who possesses the same powers as the remaining Eternals but focuses mainly on speed and creating cyclones by running in circles. In the comic books, Makkari is a white male, however in the upcoming MCU film, Makkari will be a Black female, in what is just one of many gender swapped roles in the movie. Makkari will be played by Lauren Ridloff, a deaf American actress known for her role in “The Walking Dead”. This casting will make her the first deaf superhero in the MCU and while I’m sure there are some comic book fanatics that aren’t happy with the changes, I personally fully support this change in character and can’t wait to see how she makes Makkari her own.
Which new MCU addition are you most excited to see on screen? Let us know in the comments below or on one of our social media channels. And be sure to follow Frozen Mouse Fever for all your Disney, Marvel and Star Wars needs.
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