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Blockers' Geraldine Viswanathan Wants To Be The MCU’s Ms. Marvel
Geraldine Viswanathan from Blockers is interested in playing Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel Studios is nearing the end of Phase 3 with Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame, and while the former introduces a brand new hero to the MCU, the latter will likely say goodbye to many foundational heroes. Chris Evans has hinted his days as Captain America are coming to an end, and Robert Downey Jr.'s time as Iron Man appears to be winding down too.
The potential for Marvel Studios to leave behind these iconic heroes and bankable stars opens up the door for newer heroes to take their place. One of these is likely going to be Brie Larson's Captain Marvel, especially if her solo film opens to over $160 million as currently projected. The likely success of Captain Marvel makes it all the more likely she'll get a franchise of her own that will introduce more characters to the MCU. One of Marvel's most popular characters as of late in the comics is Kamala Khan, a Pakistani-American teenager who looks up to Carol Danvers and takes on the Ms. Marvel name because of her. Kevin Feige has teased that she is part of their larger plans too, but there's been no indication of when that will happen.
Whenever Marvel decides to bring Kamala Khan into the MCU, they'll need to find someone to take on what is sure to be a coveted role. One of the most popular choices for fans online is Blockers star Geraldine Viswanathan. Variety recently spoke to the rising actress at the Sundance Film Festival to discuss her new film Hala and asked her if she'd have any interest in playing Ms. Marvel in a future film. Here's what she said:
Oh my gosh, I don’t know. Yeah, I mean that would be, that would be sweet, but I don’t think it’s up to me. I think it’s up to the community… I think she’s such an important character to that community, and I wouldn’t want to impose myself on that, so I think I’m just, you know, whatever happens.
Viswanathan confirmed not too long after that she is indeed a fan of the character in the comics, but that there's been no discussions between her and Marvel about this possibility. As of right now, this is nothing more than her confirming she'd be interested in tackling this massively important role. But, her Hala co-star Gabriel Luna, who played Robbie Reyes aka Ghost Rider on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., made sure to point out that if she were cast, there'd be a chance they could work together again.
Even though the specifics on Kamala's eventual introduction in the MCU have yet to be revealed, there's already plenty of excitement for the future announcement. Riz Ahmed and Mindy Kaling previously expressed their interest in writing a standalone film for Ms. Marvel, but they could very well also be potential cast members if it were to happen. Feige has stated that he wants Kamala to be comic-accurate in how Carol Danvers inspires her to be a hero. Since Captain Marvel takes place in the 1990s, it may not be until Carol returns to Earth and helps save the day that a young Muslim girl named Kamala Khan can finally see her idol.
As the MCU continues to grow in years to come, it should become increasingly more likely that Ms. Marvel gets her introduction. Marvel Studios is clearly looking to further diversify their lineup with the Asian-led Shang-Chi on the way, Black Panther 2 in development, and The Eternals reportedly aiming for a diverse cast. As this continues, it hopefully won't be too long before Ms. Marvel gets her proper introduction.
