With filming already under way on Marvel Studios' highly-anticipatedCaptain Marvel, another key character has been cast, withGemma Chan(Humans) signing on to play Minn-Erva, a Kree scientist and spy also known as Doctor Minerva. While Marvel hasn’t released an official synopsis forCaptain Marvel, it has been confirmed that this story will be set in the 1990s and that the iconic Kree-Skrull war from the comics will be prominently featured, along with other notable comic book characters like Mar-Vell (Jude Law). While it isn’t known how Minn-Erva will be used in the story, she does have a history with Mar-Vell in the comics.
Minn-Erva was introduced in the Marvel Comics inCaptain Marvel#50 (May 1977), created by Scott Edelman and Al Migrom. The character was born on Edelix on the planet of Kree-Lar, who ultimately became a geneticist working for theKree Empire. She was an enemy to rogue Kree agentCaptain Mar-Vell(Jude Law). She was altered by the Kree Psyche-Magnetron, which gave her superhuman strength and durability, along with the ability to fly, which she does so through the manipulation of gravitons. During the Kree/Shi’ar War, she was part of the Kree Starforce and she was once partners with Captain Atlas before being banished from Earth.
With no concrete story details to go off of, it remains unclear if any of these details from the comics will ring true in this movie adaptation, or if Marvel Studios will take adifferent approachto this character. Regardless, she joins a cast that is lead by Brie Larson asCarol Danvers/Captain Marvel, Jude Law as Richard Lawson/Mar-Vell along with Ben Mendelsohn, rumored to be playing the main villainYon-Rogg, and DeWanda Wise, rumored to be playing Monica Rambeau, and Samuel L. Jackson as a de-aged Nick Fury. There has been talk that this movie will finally reveal just how Nick Fury lost his left eye, but that has yet to be confirmed.
Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (Mississippi Grind) are directingCaptain Marvelfrom a script that was most recently worked on by Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Tomb Raider), with Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Meg LeFauve (Inside Out) previously working on the script, and Kevin Feige producing. Marvel has set a June 12, 2025 release date, putting it between this summer’sAvengers: Infinity War(May 4),Ant-Man and the Wasp(July 6) and the final Phase 3 movie,Avengers 4(July 17, 2025). As of now,Captain Marvelis the only movie slated for release on August 11, 2025, falling between 20th Century Fox’sThe Force, Lionsgate’sChaos Walkingand Universal’si0jHow to Train Your Dragon 3on June 23, 2025, and Paramount’sAmusement Parkand Universal’s untitled Jordan Peele movie on July 30, 2025.
Gemma Chan is best known for playing Mia in AMC’sHumans, which returns with its third season later this year. On the big screen, she portrayed Madam Ya Zhou in Warner Bros.‘Harry Potterspin-offFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and Quintessa in last year’sTransformers: The Last Knight. She will next be seen inCrazy Rich Asians,Mary Queen of ScotsandLondon Fields.Deadlinebroke the news on thisCaptain Marvelcasting earlier today.
