The Marvels director Nia DaCosta has revealed new details about the MCU’s upcoming film, including why the superpowered trio are switching places.

The Marvels director Nia DaCosta has confirmed why Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau, and Ms. Marvel are switching places in Marvel Studios’ upcoming 2023 film. The sequel to 2019’s Captain Marvel was confirmed to be in development at SDCC 2019, and Iman Vellani and Teyonah Parris were revealed to be joining Brie Larson for the film in the following year after both debuted in Disney+ series WandaVision and Ms. Marvel. Unlike its predecessor, The Marvels will take place in the present day of the MCU and will explore what happens when the superpowered trio find themselves mysteriously switching places anytime they use their abilities.

Speaking to Empire Magazine for their October 2023 issue, The Marvels director Nia DaCosta revealed several new details about the upcoming film. This included providing confirmation that Zawe Ashton’s Kree villain Dar-Benn is the cause of Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau, and Kamala Khan’s switching places. This was previously teased in The Marvels‘ second trailer, but DaCosta’s confirmation suggests a much more menacing and pivotal role for Dar-Benn in The Marvels, who also appears to wield a bangle similar to Ms. Marvel’s and a Cosmi Rod similar to the one used by Ronan the Accuser. Read Empire Magazine’s quote below:

Nia DaCosta’s eyes lit up when she was given an initial outline for The Marvels. She realized she wasn’t simply dealing with three superheroes whose powers become entangled and cause them to switch places with each other every time they use them, thanks to a Kree Accuser with a special bracelet and Cosmi Rod to grind.

What The Marvels’ Swap Explanation Reveals About The Movie Plot

Nia DaCosta’s new reveal gives insight into just how powerful Dar-Benn will be in The Marvels since she is able to manipulate the powers of Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau, and Ms. Marvel, seemingly at will. Dar-Benn has been shown to have prior resentment against Carol Danvers, suggesting that Captain Marvel’s actions during her 30-year absence from the MCU will be explored in The Marvels, perhaps answering why Dar-Benn refers to Captain Marvel as “the Annihilator.” However, not only will Dar-Benn be tampering with the Marvels’ abilities, but she could also explain the origin of one of the MCU’s most mysterious new introductions.

Phase 4’s Ms. Marvel debuted Vellani as Kamala Khan, a teenage mutant-hybrid who unlocked her Noor-based abilities after donning an ancient bangle. Thought to come in a pair, many questioned where the other bangle was during Ms. Marvel, but The Marvels confirms that Dar-Benn is the owner of the other bracelet. This perhaps suggests that Kamala’s bangle is of Kree origin, which makes sense as it was originally found attached to a blue-skinned arm in Ms. Marvel, but The Marvels could make huge strides in explaining exactly what it can do and may see Kamala’s power increase if she acquires both halves.