Iman Vellani has some thoughts on the current state of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Speaking with The Direct, Vellani was asked what she thinks Marvel Studios needs to do going forward in order to recapture the hype and excitement surrounding the franchise when Avengers: Endgame was released in 2019.
“I don’t know,” she answered. “I don’t know if it’s about just getting bigger and bigger and bigger. Because then, like, what’s left? You know, I think it’s just about making the audience care about their characters. And I think they’ve established so many wonderful characters in the last phase of the MCU that it would be nice to see them all again and see them team up.”
Regarding potential Marvel crossovers, Vellani added, “I think, because there are so many new characters people want to like, start shipping people together and be like, ‘Oh, seeing Kamala and like the Red Guardian together.’ Like imagining all these pair-ups, and I think that would definitely pay off. It’ll be like, you know, the next Avengers.”
What is Iman Vellani’s role in the MCU?
Vellani portrayed Kamala Khan in 2022’s Ms. Marvel miniseries. She reprised the role of Kamala in 2023’s The Marvels, which is currently still playing in theaters and also stars Brie Larson as Carol Danvers, Teyonah Parris as Monica Rambeau, and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.
The ending of The Marvels teases a bigger role for Kamala in the MCU going forward, as she’s now recruiting a number of younger heroes — including Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop — for a new team.
“I’m speaking as a fan like I’m still there every Thursday night,” Vellani said. “Like all the Thursday night openings of these movies—they’re just like a source of happiness for me. And the commercial success honestly doesn’t determine the enjoyment of a film for me. Like I judge a movie by the feeling it left me with. And yeah, I do want to leave a movie feeling a little lighter and a little happier, and I hope the audience does, too.”
