The upcoming MCU entry, The Marvels, will put estranged family dynamics front and center, according to director Nia DaCosta. The director been tasked with taking charge of Carol Danvers (Brie Larson)’s return to the MCU alongside Teyonah Parris‘ Monica Rambeau, and it’s safe to say the relationship between the two is something approaching “frosty” after the separation they endured following the events of Captain Marvel, and then latterly, The Blip.

“I thought it would be cool to map an estranged family history and sister story onto them,” DaCosta said in a new interview with Empire Magazine. “Carol’s the oldest, the prodigal, then there’s the middle sister Monica, who Carol knew as a kid and promised she’d come back [to] but then never did. All the switching stuff is great, but the thing I actually care about is how these two reconcile.”

The unfulfilled pledge and the extensive history shared by the two, compounded by Carol’s absence during the passing of her best friend and Monica’s mother, Maria (portrayed by Lashana Lynch in Captain Marvel), are poised to generate significant tension in the upcoming film. The tension will be palpable even amidst the very fun body-swapping escapades showcased in the trailer. Added to the mix, of course, is the wildcard in the form of the pocket rocket that is Iman Vellani‘s Kamala Khan. It will certainly be very interesting to see how Kamala interacts with Captain Marvel considering the fact she is a huge fan of the superhero. As DaCosta explains,

The unfulfilled pledge and the extensive history shared by the two, compounded by Carol’s absence during the passing of her best friend and Monica’s mother, Maria (portrayed by Lashana Lynch in Captain Marvel), are poised to generate significant tension in the upcoming film. The tension will be palpable even amidst the very fun body-swapping escapades showcased in the trailer. Added to the mix, of course, is the wildcard in the form of the pocket rocket that is Iman Vellani‘s Kamala Khan. It will certainly be very interesting to see how Kamala interacts with Captain Marvel considering the fact she is a huge fan of the superhero. As DaCosta explains,

“Kamala is the youngest, who hasn’t had the experience of living with this older sister but idolises her. Carol’s a bit jaded at the beginning of the film [but] Kamala reminds her how amazing she is.”

We Are Family

In Ms. Marvel, her “street-level threat” series, Kamala dealt with the opposition she faced with aplomb, but she’s now dealing with a galactic threat, something much bigger, and according to DaCosta, Kamala’s belief in the strength of family might just be enough to get her through to the conclusion of the task at hand. “Now she’s going into space and dealing with crazy space emperors, but the thing I love about Kamala is her belief in people and family,” DaCosta says. “Even in the midst of being around Captain Marvel and out of her depth, she’s preserved her strength.”

The Marvels premieres in theaters on November 10.

via Collider