Marvel Studios has introduced plenty of new heroes and villains in Phase 4, and the final entry of the chapter will round it out with one more: Tenoch Huerta's Namor the Sub-Mariner. The underwater ruler will be the main villain of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever as his kingdom of Talocan wages war on Wakanda.
Throughout his Marvel Comics history, having debuted in its first-ever issue, Namor has been a hero, villain, and anti-hero as he rules over Atlantis - renamed Talocan for Wakanda Forever to avoid confusion with Aquaman. His long-standing rivalry with the African nation now comes to screens in the Black Panther sequel.
As Wakanda loses its ruler following the death of Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa, the new ruler Queen Ramonda and whoever takes on the Black Panther mantle have a tough task ahead. There's no telling what will instigate the war yet, although rumors indicate Fantastic Four villain Doctor Doom may be involved.
The first look at Namor debuted with the trailer at San Diego Comic-Con, and now a new image was released ahead of the second trailer - which has yet to set a drop date.
Wakanda Forever Cast Featured on MCU Magazine Cover
Empire Magazine revealed the cover for its upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever issue that will feature interviews with director Ryan Coogler and the cast.
The cover offers a new look at Letitia Wright's Shuri, Angela Bassett's Queen Ramonda, and Tenoch Huerta's Namor in his headdress:
The cover delivers the best look yet at Huerta's Namor in full costume as he enters the MCU as the ruler of Talocan and the lead antagonist of Wakanda Forever.
Empire Magazine also revealed the subscriber-exclusive cover that features a design inspired by Namor's kingdom of Talocan. The cover comes from production designer Hannah Beachler and delivers a collage of art inspired by Wakanda Forever in the shape of Namor's headdress:
How the MCU is Adapting Namor
Marvel Studios have made some major changes to Namor for his MCU introduction, most notably with the renaming of Atlantis to Talocan and adding some Aztec inspiration into the underwater culture. That cultural inspiration is clearly reflected in the design of his outfit, shown best on these new covers.
One question yet to be answered comes with the Sub-Mariner's origins as fans ponder whether Namor will be a mutant in the MCU as he is in the comics. Ms. Marvel brought with it confirmation Kamala Khan is a mutant, so they clearly exist in this world already, meaning the possibility is absolutely there.
Namor will first take Talocan to war with Wakanda in Black Panther 2, but one can't help but wonder what his MCU future looks like. Will this conflict be settled by the end of Wakanda Forever, or will it continue into the future? Either way, Tenoch Huerta ought to be back as Namor soon rather than later.
The chances are high that Namor will one day lead his own solo MCU outing, especially if his character proves popular upon his debut. However, Marvel Studios will have a tough task in conceptualizing a movie or Disney+ series that doesn't get flooded with Aquaman comparisons due to their similarities.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hits theaters on November 11; Empire Magazine's special issue will release on Thursday, September 29.
