In 2022, Iman Vellani made her professional acting debut in one of the biggest ways possible: playing a superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The actress debuted as Kamala Khan in the Disney+ series Ms. Marvel, then reprised the role a year later in The Marvels. We’ll next hear Vellani voicing Kamala in the upcoming Marvel TV show Marvel Zombies, and I’m hopeful she’ll also return to the role in live-action for an upcoming Marvel movie. In the meantime, I’m jazzed to hear that she’s also taking part in a 2025 movie release that boasts an all-star cast including folks like Seth Rogen and Woody Harrelson.
Per Variety, these three actors, as well as Gatem Matarzzo, Steve Buscemi, Gleam Close, Laverne Cox, Kieran Culkin, Jim Parsons and Kathleen Turner, have all been tapped as voices in the animated adaptation of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. This latest take on the 1945 novella is being directed by Andy Serkis, who will also lend his voice to the production. Nick Stoller of The Muppets and Storks fame wrote the script.
Animal Farm follows a group of anthropomorphic farm animals who rebel against the farm’s human owners and take control of it. While the animals attempt to create a better society for themselves on the farm, it all goes sideways when a pig named Napoleon grabs power and becomes the farm’s dictator. Andy Serkis’ version will be the third film adaptation of Animal Farm, following the 1954 animated movie and the 1999 live-action TV movie. Aside from Seth Rogen voicing Napoleon, none of the other actors’ characters have been identified.
Andy Serkis has been attached to Animal Farm stretching back to 2011, when Rupert Wyatt, who directed him in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, was going to helm the project. Serkis took over directorial duties a year later, but it wasn’t until 2022 that Animal Farm finally began production over at Cinesite Studios. Serkis previously directed Breathe, Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle and Venom: Let There Be Carnage.
As much as I’ve enjoyed seeing Iman Vellani bring Kamala Khan to life in the MCU, it’s good to see her getting involved in projects unconnected to the superhero franchise. I’m curious to learn whom she’ll voice in Animal Farm, as well as the other participating talent in this upcoming book-to-screen adaptation. The actress’ other upcoming movies include Shiver and Mouse, though neither of them have release dates yet.
Animal Farm, on the other hand, is set to hit theaters on July 11. Until then, feel free to stream Iman Vellani’s appearances as Ms. Marvel with your Disney+ subscription.