Marvel Studios has announced a new cast member for its upcoming Disney+ series, Ms. Marvel. The Hollywood Reporter relays newcomer Laurel Marsden (Survive) has been cast as Zoe Zimmer in the show centered on the teen superhero Kamala Khan, played by Iman Vellani.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ms. Marvel is currently filming in Atlanta with hopes of premiering in late 2021. The story follows Vellani’s Kamala, a young Pakistani American girl whose admiration for superheroes quickly shifts to a reality when she discovers she is an Inhuman. With her new super abilities, Kamala dons the moniker Ms. Marvel after her favorite Avenger, Captain Marvel. Kamala is able to stretch and grow her body to extreme lengths and sizes.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the character of Zoe Zimmer was first introduced in Ms. Marvel No. 3, written by G. Willow Wilson (Alif the Unseen, The Bird King) with art from Adrian Alphona (Runaways, Vol 1., Ms. Marvel Vol. 4). Zimmer is the first person Khan saves. From then on, their relationship teeters back and forth as frenemies. It can be compared to the relationship Peter Parker’s Spider-Man has with part-time friend and bully, Flash Thompson.
Marsden is relatively new to Hollywood, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Her biggest role to date was opposite Sophie Turner (X-Men: Apocalypse, Game of Thrones) in Quibi’s dramatic thriller, Survive. Turner starred as woman who becomes stranded after a tragic plane crash. Marsden’s profile was elevated with the role despite Quibi’s abbreviated existence.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the series is being directed by four budding filmmakers: duo Adil El Arbi (Bad Boys for Life, Black) and Bilall Fallah (Gangsta, Image), Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (Saving Face, 3 Bahadur), and Meera Menon (Equity, Farah Goes Bang). The showrunner is head writer Bisha K. Ali (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Sex Education).
Ms. Marvel is just one of the many TV series under Marvel Studios slated to premiere this year. Fans are currently watching WandaVision and anticipate the March 19 release of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. In May, Thor’s half-brother will get his own show in Loki. Other series include Jeremy Renner’s (The Avengers, Wind River) Hawkeye and the animated series, What If.