The directors of MCU’s latest series, Ms. Marvel, recently responded to the review bombing that the series has been getting online by unhappy fans after the release of the first episode.
Joining the bandwagon of a large number of MCU web series, including Loki, WandaVision and Hawkeye, Ms Marvel is the latest MCU superhero web series to premiere on Disney+. The series focuses on Pakistani American teenager superhero, Kamala Khan and her adventures.
The show has won the hearts of several critics due to the introduction of Marvel’s first Muslim superhero and the politics of representation. The light-hearted tone of the series was also praised by many fans and critics alike.
Despite the generally positive response, Ms Marvel has been the victim of review bombing by fans on the internet. After the show premiered, a group of fans bombarded IMDB with 1-star ratings for the series. However, the reason behind such dissatisfaction remains unclear.
In a recent interview with Gizmodo, directors Adil El Arbi and Billal Fallah addressed this sudden review bombing by fans. El Arbi elaborated,
“Well, I think fandom values are a reflection of society, you know, so you got to have the good and the bad. We believe that it’s overall good. I mean, fandom for us the reason why we make these TV shows and movies. They make Marvel MCU heroes big and that’s why we have AvengerCon. We try to do that homage to the fandom. That’s why Kamala Khan is a fan. You got to also respect the fandom because they’re so passionate about that. I think that we tend to focus just on the positive aspects of it, because the love and the care that they give. You will not have that in any other job and it’s a real pleasure. We hope that our humble contribution to the MCU will please the fandom everywhere in the world, especially the younger fandom.”
Adil El Arbi
Additionally, the directors stressed that they are focusing on the positive reactions from the fandom and are committed to pleasing fans across the world, particularly the younger ones. They are taking both the ‘good and the bad’.
So far, only one episode of Ms Marvel has been released so Arbi and Fallah are quite hopeful about the show’s future. Review bombing is not new, at least when the MCU is concerned.
Though the reasons are unclear, it could possibly be due to the protagonist being MCU’s first Muslim superhero or because the show is aimed at a younger audience. Both DCEU and MCU have been victims of cyber review bombing, so the makers aren’t taking it to heart.
Arbi and Fallah are committed to giving their best to Ms Marvel, which they’re sure will win more hearts in the future.
You can watch Ms Marvel on Disney+.
About Ms. Marvel
Ms. Marvel is an ongoing American television miniseries created by Bisha K. Ali for the streaming service Disney+, based on the Marvel Comics character Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel. It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
Kamala is a 16-year-old Muslim Pakistani-American from Jersey City who writes superhero fan fiction, particularly about her idol, Captain Marvel. Having dreamed about becoming a superhero herself, Kamala discovers she has superpowers and dons the mask of Ms. Marvel.
Ms. Marvel will serve as a setup for the film The Marvels (2022), in which Vellani will reprise her role as Kamala. The series is produced by Marvel Studios, with Ali serving as head writer and Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah leading the directing team. Iman Vellani stars as Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel, with Saagar Shaikh, Aramis Knight, Matt Lintz, Zenobia Shroff, and Mohan Kapur also starring.
No Comments on Ms. Marvel Directors Address Surge of Recent Bad Reviews of the MCU Show