Iman Vellani Knows How Marvel Can Fix The MCU

Has superhero movie fatigue set in? Many seem to think so, especially when it comes to the output of Marvel Studios as of late. Many online suggest that Marvel is in shambles after some of its recent movies and Disney+ series have not been received so kindly. But Iman Vellani, who plays Kamala Khan in "Ms. Marvel" and "The Marvels," thinks she knows what the studio can do to reignite widespread interest. 

Not only is Vellani a highlight of "The Marvels," but she has earned a reputation for being a genuine Marvel fan. Speaking to The Direct, the actor offered a simple idea for getting the Marvel Cinematic Universe back on track. "I think it's just about making the audience care about their characters," she said. "And I think they've established so many wonderful characters in the last phase of the MCU that it would be nice to see them all again and see them team up."

She added that Marvel has focused on making things "bigger and bigger and bigger" recently, especially as projects delve deeper into the multiverse. Phases 4 and 5 of the MCU have introduced more characters than ever, and Vellani thinks Marvel should capitalize on that. "There are so many new characters people want to like, start shipping people together and be like, 'Oh, seeing Kamala and like the Red Guardian together,'" she continued. "Like imagining all these pair-ups ... I think that would definitely pay off."

Making an audience care about a character is vital to any story, and it's something Marvel Studios did well in its first three phases. Characters like Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Captain America (Chris Evans) got their own movies before appearing in big team-up films. They also continued to star in standalone sequels, so viewers got to watch them evolve on a regular basis. 

That hasn't been the case in Phases 4 and 5. For example, Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) was a hit with fans when his movie came out in 2021, but he hasn't appeared since, and it isn't clear when he'll pop up again. There's no word on when "Shang-Chi 2" might come out, so the character isn't getting the chance to develop in the way that, say, Captain America did. 

The same could be said for many characters that were introduced and then seemingly dropped, like Moon Knight (Oscar Isaac) and She-Hulk (Tatiana Maslany). It's possible they'll all come together in the next "Avengers" films, but perhaps without putting in the work to build up the characters over several projects. Iman Vellani clearly wants the characters to be done justice, and told The Direct that's a sentiment shared by many in the studio: "Every single person that works at Marvel Studios is genuinely a fan and so in love with their craft and in love with their job. And I think that dedication to their work is what makes a good, if not great, movie."