The Marvels actress Iman Vellani commented on what Kamala Khan’s Young Avengers initiative could look like while also sharing how she’d love to team up with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man.
After Dar-Benn has been defeated, Monica’s sacrifice made, and Carol Danvers settled into Louisiana, Kamala decides to take things into her own hands. The young hero takes a trip to New York City, paying a visit to Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop.
Turns out, Ms. Marvel is building a team—one made up of younger Avenger-types. Kamala’s been looking at other candidates, too, including Kathryn Newton’s Cassie Lang, with plans beyond that currently unknown.
Iman Vellani Teases Her Young Avengers
While speaking exclusively to The Direct’s Russ Milheim, The Marvels star Iman Vellani, who plays Ms. Marvel in the new Marvel Studios blockbuster, spoke about the big Young Avengers tease and expressed a desire to cross paths with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man.
So, just who was Kamala Khan planning on recruiting after visiting Kate Bishop?
While the star was hesitant to say too much, she confirmed “whatever names you can guess are probably right:”
“I don’t know. I don’t know what the rules are for scenes that were cut, like, Am I still supposed to keep those secrets?… I’ll say, whatever names you can guess are probably right. Like, there’s not that many young people in the MCU right now.”
When The Direct suggested that Kamala should also stop by NYC to visit Tom Holland’s Spider-Man for some advice, Vellani admitted she “would love to see a team-up [with Holland’s character]:”
“I would love to see a team-up [with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man]. Their team-ups in the comics are honestly one of my favorites. So, that would be cool.”
The scene in The Marvels where Kamala Khan rattles off codenames for Monica—one of which was Nova was then brought up, as many fans wanted to see the character come to life on-screen.
While some may want the original Nova, Vellani revealed she actually “wants Sam Alexander, not Richard Rider.” Though, she wasn’t opposed to the hypothetical idea of getting both of them.
For those who don’t know who Nova is, there are two different iterations of the character.
The original is Richard Rider, a man from New York City who takes on a role as a member of the Nova Corps. After a deadly attack on Xandar, he becomes the last living member of the entire group.
Sam Alexander was introduced in the comics after Richard Rider died (a status that lasted only a few years). He’s a thirteen-year-old Latinx hero who inherited a Nova helmet from his father, who was an elite Black Nova Corps member.
On top of Sam, the actress noted she also “love[s] Miles [Morales]” while being a “big fan of The Champions comics:”
“I love Sam Alexander, and I love Miles [Morales]. I’m a big fan of ‘The Champions’ comics, especially the more recent runs. Like Kamala, Miles, and Sam, their chemistry is so sweet. And I want her to have like more that young energy in her life. So yeah, those two would probably be my top choice. I think.”
When asked if Kamala’s team might go by the Champions instead of the Young Avengers since the roster isn’t getting any younger, Vellani laughed at the suggestion, noting she “[doesn’t] know how the fan base would respond to that name:”
“That’s funny. I don’t know. I don’t think I am a part of that decision-making. But I personally like Champions, mostly because I read those comics more, but I don’t know how the fan base would respond to that name.”
What Young Heroes Will Lead the MCU’s Future?
When it comes to Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, there’s no denying both he and Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan would crush their on-screen dynamic. The duo are destined to meet one day, and their interactions will likely become some of the best in the MCU.
But before that comes to pass, given the end of The Marvels, Ms. Marvel is bound to interact with some younger heroes first.
Other potential members of Ms. Marvel’s team could include Ironheart, America Chavez, Wiccan (to be introduced in Agatha: Darkhold Diaries), and Cassie Lang. The upcoming Vision Quest series could also bring in Vision’s daughter, Viv.
Then, of course, there’s Miles Morales, but who knows when audiences and Iman Vellani will see that character get the MCU spotlight? The same could be said for either incarnation of Nova.
The real question, however, is: when in the world will fans ever see this big Young Avengers team-up? The actors behind these characters won’t be getting any younger.
Hopefully, they can all get together before Avengers: Secret Wars. With all the Jonathan Majors troubles behind the scenes at Marvel Studios, perhaps Kang Dynasty will be retooled into a Young Avengers project instead.
The Marvels is now playing in theaters worldwide.
