There’s a new hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and her name is Kamala Khan a.k.a. Ms. Marvel! The young crimefighter debuted in her eponymous show (available to stream with a Disney+ subscription), and it’s received praise from critics and fans thus far. Something that’s seemingly endearing Kamala to viewers is her love of superheroes, a level of fandom that’s only matched by that of the actress who plays her, Iman Vellani. The rising star has adored Marvel Comics for years and has no problem geeking out about small, intricate details. This was definitely clear when she revealed that she tried to add a sweet Easter egg to the show – and is now trying to get it into a potential second season.
In the comics, Kamala Khan has a plethora of allies, from witty Spider-Man Miles Morales to the grizzled Wolverine (a team-up moment that Iman Vellani loves). One of her more “unconventional” superpowered friends, however, is the Inhuman protector Lockjaw. Unsurprisingly, Vellani is more than aware of the relationship between Khan and the giant, teleporting dog and, when CinemaBlend caught up with her at the Ms. Marvel premiere, she revealed her efforts to reference him on the show:
I'm so happy you mentioned Lockjaw. I have been trying to get a Lockjaw Easter egg, and it did not happen. But season two, if there's a season two… Or The Marvels? I would love to. I gotta make this happen. I love Lockjaw.
The Inhuman Royal Family’s canine protector was tasked with keeping an eye on Kamala shortly after her superhuman abilities surfaced. The two would become quite close, with the dog even assisting her when she took on the villainous Inventor. It was certainly a sweet relationship to see, and one can easily understand why Iman Vellani loves the character and would love to give him a shoutout of sorts.
Should the lovable beast appear in any future MCU production down the line, it wouldn’t be his first time making the transition to the live-action realm. He was previously featured in Marvel Television’s short-lived Inhumans series, which aired in 2017. Despite the show’s shortcomings, the first look at Lockjaw was impressive and teased a comic-book accurate interpretation of him. Ahead of Ms. Marvel’s premiere, it was rumored that he’d show up on the show (a development that would right a major wrong.) But considering these comments from the lead star, it would appear that we can now debunk that theory.
I’d still say there’s a firm chance that the character reappears at some point, though. Last month, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness dropped Anson Mount’s Black Bolt into the MCU proper. It wasn’t the same version of the hero that appeared on the small screen, mind you, but it’s still an indicator that Marvel Studios hasn’t completely forsaken the classic race of cosmic characters.
With any luck, Lockjaw will indeed make a return and team up with Kamala Khan. The on-screen dynamic between the two would be precious, and they could easily solidify themselves as one of the funnest duos in the cinematic universe. I don’t know about all of you, but I’m definitely hoping that Iman Vellani, at the very least, gets her Easter egg - and that second season.
Ms. Marvel drops new episodes on Thursdays (as part of the 2022 TV schedule), and you can stream Inhumans on Disney+ as well. Also, be sure to keep an eye out for updates on upcoming Marvel TV shows.
