'Ms Marvel' is highest-rated MCU production ever

Disney+ series also scores higher than the top Marvel Cinematic Universe movie 'Black Panther'

Iman Vellani as Ms Marvel, left, and Matt Lintz as Bruno. All photos: Marvel Studios

Iman Vellani plays Ms Marvel/Kamala Khan in 'Ms Marvel'.

The series came out on June 8.

The release of the series coincided with the official launch of Disney+ in the Middle East.

Marvel fans in the Middle East can watch the show on Disney+.

Rish Shah as Kamran, left, and Iman Vellani as Ms Marvel.

Kamala Khan, left, is the first Muslim superhero.

From left: Yasmeen Fletcher as Nakia; Matthew Lintz as Bruno; and Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan.

Kamala Khan, aged 16, first appeared in an August 2013 edition of 'Captain Marvel', and landed her own comic book series in February 2014.

In the comic book, Khan develops polymorphous powers owing to inhuman genes and takes over the former identity of her hero Carol Danvers.

She has the ability to shapeshift and has powers of elasticity.

She was in part created by comic book artist Sana Amanat, who has said the character was sparked by her own experiences as a Pakistani-American Muslim.

From left: Mohan Kapur as Yusuf, Iman Vellani as Kamala Khan, Saagar Shaikh as Aamir and Nimra Bucha as Najma.

It’s a big responsibility for the Pakistani-Canadian actress, 19, and one that is eagerly anticipated.

While Khan’s religion is an important part of her character, it doesn’t define her.

Kamala represents so much about fan culture what it is to be a Marvel fan, says Vellani.

Kamala Khan is also a student, a sister, a confused teenage girl and a huge Marvel fan.

Marvel's groundbreaking Ms Marvel has topped a ranking of television shows from the comic book behemoth on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. The Disney+ show, the first season of which concluded last week, is also the highest-rated of any Marvel Cinematic Universe project, whether show or movie.

The series, featuring Marvel's first Muslim superhero, made its television debut in June, immediately earning wide praise. It currently has a 98 per cent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, followed by Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. at 95 per cent and Daredevil at 92 per cent.

In comparison, the highest-rated Marvel movie is Black Panther (2018), which has a 96 per cent rating.

Rotten Tomatoes said the latest ranking was based on shows with at least 10 reviews, and ties were resolved by the number of reviews for each title as well as “Average Rating” under “Score Details”.

Ms Marvel follows the Pakistani-American Kamala Khan, a teenager from New Jersey who obsesses about the Avengers but struggles to fit in among her peers. She discovers she has superpowers and becomes Ms Marvel.

In its consensus of reviews, Rotten Tomatoes called it a "genuinely fresh addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe". Actress Iman Vellani, who was plucked from obscurity to play the lead, has also been praised for injecting the titular character with her "super-sized charisma".

Rotten Tomatoes' Top 10 highest-rated Marvel TV shows:

1. Ms Marvel (2022) — 98 per cent
2. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013) — 95 per cent
3. Daredevil (2015) — 92 per cent
4. Loki (2021) — 92 per cent
5. Hawkeye (2021) — 92 per cent
6. Marvel's Hero Project (2019) — 92 per cent
7. Wandavision (2021) — 91 per cent
8. Legion (2017) — 91 per cent
9. Luke Cage (2016) — 87 per cent
10. Cloak & Dagger (2018) — 87 per cent

The show's high rating is also impressive despite it being subjected to widespread "review bombing" where viewers intentionally rate shows lower to bring down the overall average. Forbes reported last month that fringe racist groups in the US were likely to be behind the movement.

But Pakistanis around the world have applauded the show for its representation of South Asians in pop culture, although some Muslims have expressed concern over a plot that revealed Ms Marvel's source of power, which is drastically different from her portrayal in the comic book.

While a second season of Ms Marvel has not been announced, Vellani's character will next leap on to the big screen in The Marvels, a sequel to Captain Marvel (2019) alongside Brie Larson. The film is scheduled for a July release next year.