Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is only a couple of months away, and this is a Marvel film that people are looking forward to for more than the typical reasons. There’s a ton of mystery surrounding the sequel and how it is moving forward without star Chadwick Boseman. There’s the mystery surrounding who will take over the mantle of Black Panther. And then there’s the first MCU appearance of Namor, and his arrival is another major milestone.
Speaking with Empire, Namor actor Tenoch Huerta confirms that, just like in the comics, he will be a mutant. Why’s that key? Well, so are the X-Men. Namor is often credited as “the first mutant”, but chronologically speaking it’s not true. Anyway, Namor remains mostly true to form. He’s the leader of an advanced underwater kingdom, and he and Black Panther do begin as rivals. However, there’s one major change.
There’s no Atlantis to be found in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Namor hails from a place called Talocan.
“You can take Atlantis from Greek myth, or you can adapt from a real culture,” explained Huerta.
Namor emerges from the depths to deal with the fallout of T’Challa’s decision at the end of Black Panther to have Wakanda engage with the rest of the world.
“That decision puts Talocan in jeopardy,” Huerta said. “And Talocan has to take action to protect themselves.”
Rumors of Namor’s arrival have been flying since the first Black Panther movie, and Marvel boss Kevin Feige confirms it nearly happened…
“Ryan had a pitch for a tag at the end of Black Panther. The camera would push through the palace in Wakanda, and then we’d see wet footprints leading up to the throne.”
So it took a few years longer, but the clash of Marvel’s two greatest advanced civilizations is finally here. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opens November 11th.
