Mindy Kaling

Mindy Kaling’s latest film, ‘Late Night’ opened this past weekend in only four theaters in New York and LA, but it goes wide next weekend and she is busy promoting it.  While speaking to MTV News, she was asked about working on ‘Ms. Marvel’ for Marvel Studios and she shocked everyone by admitting that she has actually spoken to Marvel about the project and that the studio is really excited to bring this young Pakistani American Muslim superhero to life.

“I think the people I’ve spoken to Marvel about it are so excited about the character and I think that they’re trying to figure out what to do with it, and, I told them I would help in any way because I truly love her.  They really seemed interested, and I think they will probably do something. Now that there’s like this streaming service with them, it might be something like that, but I think they understand how much there is the excitement.”

Kaling is technically Indian American and her parents were Hindu, not Muslim, but she should be able to bring a certain level of firsthand knowledge of what it’s like growing up as the child of immigrants.

Kaling has been a successful actress, writer, producer, and director, nominated for Emmys for her work on ‘The Office’.  She followed that successful sitcom with another, ‘The Mindy Project’.  Recently, she has starred in the movies ‘A Wrinkle in Time’, and ‘Ocean’s Eight’.

 

RELATED:  Kevin Feige Shares The Logical Reason Why We Haven’t Seen A Hint Of ‘Ms Marvel’ Yet

 

When asked if she had an actor in mind to play Kamala Khan, she replied:

“You know, I feel it might need to be an unknown.”

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has been clear that he plans for Kamala to be included in the MCU.  But of course, it doesn’t make sense for her to become Ms. Marvel without Carol Danvers existing as Captain Marvel first, and that character just premiered in the movies a few months ago.

As Feige said:

“We wanted to get Captain Marvel out there first so that there is something for a young Muslim girl to get inspired by.”

Reportedly, Riz Ahmed and Kumail Nanjiani have also been approached about working on ‘Ms. Marvel’, but whether that is individually or collectively, is unknown.  Both Ahmed and Nanjiani are of Pakistani descent.  Ahmed has worked with Disney before, having starred in ‘Star Wars: Rogue One’.

Kamala Khan, the new Ms. Marvel, debuted in the pages of Marvel Comics in 2013 and has starred in her own series pretty much ever since.  She has joined the Avengers, as well as the Champions and Secret Warriors.  She has appeared in numerous animated projects and video games, and has appeared as everything from a LEGO Minifigure to a fashion doll to a Halloween costume.

Kaling seemed to indicate that ‘Ms. Marvel’ might end up on Disney+.  I suppose that’s okay but not as great as a film!  If she does get a Disney+ series, she will be the first brand new character to do so, as the others that have been announced feature characters/actors from the movies.

Are you excited that Kamala Khan might be coming to live-action soon?

If you’d like to hear all of Kaling’s interview, it is below: