Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow Will Be Honored in Ms. Marvel’s Disney+ Show
The next hero to be introduced to fans will be Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan, who will make her big screen debut in the upcoming Marvel Studios show Ms. Marvel. One of the most endearing elements of the character is that she is a huge superhero fan, much like many of the audience members—so when she gains her own abilities, not only does the character’s relatability come through, but the circumstances that ensue are hilarious.
Kamala keeps track of all the heroes in the MCU scene since she is a huge fan. For her, the most important of them all is Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel. This is evident not just in the character’s hero name, but also in the general appearance of her costume.
Carol Danvers’ cosmic hero is far from the only one she admires and follows. During a press event for the new series, Iman Vellani discussed her role and revealed another Marvel figure who would be a major influence on Kamala’s fighting style: Scarlett Johannson’s Black Widow.
Ms. Marvel Honors Scarlett Johansson’s Natasha
During a Ms. Marvel press event, actor Iman Vellani discussed her involvement in the MCU, how Black Widow inspired the character inside the MCU, and the importance of female portrayal.
“It didn’t seem genuine for the previous two years, and it still doesn’t,” Vellani said.
“For the last two years, it hasn’t seemed real, and it still doesn’t. I’m now on autopilot. I’m not sure how or if I’ll ever be able to digest this. But, yes, I’m quite fortunate, and I’m grateful to have such wonderful people in my life.”
The actor went on to explain how she “[hopes] others can see what I saw when I picked [up the comics] for the first time,” and added that “Kamala is such a global character:”
“The comics meant everything to me. I hope others can see what I saw when I first took them up, and that incredible amount of love. I felt recognized, and I want others to feel less lonely, whether they’re Avengers fans, Pakistanis or Muslims, or kids trying to find their way in the world. Everything. I believe Kamala is a worldwide figure to whom many people may connect.”
Vellani then stated that Kamala Khan’s amateur fighting technique is similar to that of other MCU characters, prompting Kamala to pay respect to Natasha Romanoff by pulling off “a bunch of [Scarlett Johansson’s] Black Widow poses:”
“I’ve been working on my superpose since I was around eleven years old. But no, I simply wanted to be flexible enough to execute my stunts. I have the most amazing stunt double. So we were working out Kamala’s fighting technique as a group. She’s not a fighter; she’s a sixteen-year-old high school student. So, for the most part, it was like, ‘Okay, she’s probably mimicking whatever she sees.’ As a result, we incorporated a number of [Scarlett Johansson’s] Black Widow postures, as well as Brie Larson’s classic Captain Marvel poses. So, yeah, there’s some entertaining things in there.”
Vellani expressed her desire for the character to meet Iron Man one day, but “[she] doesn’t know whether [she] would want to meet him, [she] think[s] [she] may… explode.”
Another popular crossover she’s heard is “Guardians of the Galaxy,” in which “Kamala and Groot” would form an excellent partnership.
When questioned about working with Rish Shah, who portrays Kamran, she quipped about having “the fattest crush on him:”
“I was overjoyed when he even read for the part. I had a huge crush on him. Now that we’re working together and best friends, I’m overjoyed that we can share this experience.”
When asked how she feels about her position in worldwide representation, Vellani said she “[tries] not to worry about it, since it’s a lot of pressure being the first of anything:”
“I try not to worry about it since being the first of something is stressful. I’m hoping that others can connect to it in some way. We obviously cannot represent every Muslim and South Asian in the globe, since there are two billion of them. I hope that people may recognize themselves in Kamala, her family, her town, or others at school. There are so many universal personalities, and I believe there is something for everyone.”
Respecting the Black Widow
Vellani and others concerned made an excellent decision to have Kamala’s fighting technique based on all she’s witnessed. Because she’s a huge fanboy, that’s precisely what the character would have done—especially since she’s not a combatant straight away.
It’s odd that Kamala would be emulating Black Widow, considering that the last time we saw Scarlett Johansson, she was fighting Taskmaster, a villain who similarly mirrored her motions and those around her.
Unfortunately, Natasha Romanoff will be unable to remark on that amusing parallel—though maybe Yelena will appear in the future and toss a joke or two.
However, before Florence Pugh enters the picture, Kamala Khan will first meet Captain Marvel and Monica Rambeau in The Marvels. When Vellani’s character meets Carol Danvers, no doubt sparks will fly. Danvers, hopefully, enjoys Kamala’s interpretation on her move set. Maybe she’ll even suggest some changes.
Ms. Marvel will be available on Disney+ on June 8, while The Marvels will be released in cinemas on July 28, 2023.
