Kevin Feige Says This Young MCU Star Is “One of the Greatest Castings We’ve Ever Done”

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is famous for its great casting choices. Most fans today can’t imagine anyone else playing iconic characters like Iron Man, Captain America, or Black Widow. Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Scarlett Johansson are now closely tied to those roles.

But now, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige is highlighting a much newer star as one of the studio’s best casting decisions.

Speaking to reporters recently, Feige shared that he thinks Iman Vellani, who plays Ms. Marvel, is one of the best casting choices Marvel has ever made.

He said, “One of the greatest bits of casting we’ve ever done.” He also added, “I can’t wait to see her somewhere.” This comment came from Feige himself, during a media roundtable, and it gives fans hope that we’ll be seeing more of her character in future MCU projects.

Iman Vellani wasn’t a big name when she was cast in the role. In fact, it all started when her aunt sent her a casting call, which led to her submitting a self-tape.

After that, she was asked to audition in person at Marvel’s offices in Los Angeles. She went through screen tests, both in person and online over Zoom, before finally being chosen as Kamala Khan, also known as Ms. Marvel. That was back in 2020.

When Ms. Marvel was released, critics and fans responded very positively to her performance. Rotten Tomatoes gave the series a 98% approval rating, calling it a fresh and exciting addition to the MCU.

According to their review summary, “Ms. Marvel is a genuinely fresh addition to the MCU—both stylistically and substantively—with Iman Vellani ably powering proceedings with her super-sized charisma.” On Metacritic, the show scored a 78 out of 100, reflecting generally favorable reviews.

Despite all the praise for Vellani’s performance, her next movie, The Marvels, didn’t do so well at the box office. It turned out to be one of the MCU’s biggest flops. But many fans and critics agree that this had nothing to do with Vellani herself. People still loved her as Kamala Khan, and many believe she was one of the best parts of the film.

When it comes to her future in the MCU, Kevin Feige kept things a bit vague, but hopeful. He did hint that there are plans for her to return. This also ties into another project that fans have been wondering about, Young Avengers. In the final scene of The Marvels, Vellani’s character tries to recruit Kate Bishop, played by Hailee Steinfeld, to form a new superhero team. Naturally, fans started speculating about a Young Avengers project.

When asked directly about the future of Young Avengers, Feige didn’t confirm anything clearly but said, “Potentially. In that case, it comes down to where’s the best story and where is the best strange alchemy. Who would be fun to see them with? Each other, because that’s what the Young Avengers are, but also mixing it up more.”

For now, Marvel fans can only wait and hope that Kamala Khan will return soon in some new form, whether it’s a movie or a series. But one thing is clear: Kevin Feige believes that casting Iman Vellani was one of the smartest choices Marvel has made.

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