The first reactions to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever are in, and it seems to be a resounding success. The Ryan Coogler-directed sequel has been long in the making and is receiving near-universal praise in its first reactions. Critics seem to love the film's "beautifully cathartic" story and "masterful" score.
But one aspect that has appeared in nearly every early review has been Tenoch Huerta's MCU debut as Namor the Submariner. The longtime comic character finally transitions to the screen in the Black Panther follow-up, opening up potential stories to tell from the underwater world of the MCU.
While it is currently unknown where Huerta's aquatic hero will appear after Wakanda Forever, there is always the potential that it could be in a movie bearing his own name.
Feige's Thoughts on a Namor Movie
Speaking with @Namorcosply at the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige addressed the idea of a potential Namor solo movie coming after his appearance in the Wakandan sequel.
After being asked if fans can expect a solo film for Tenoch Huerta's hero after Wakanda Forever, Feige simply said "We’ll see, depends on this," referring to the reception of Wakanda Forever.
This isn't the first time a Namor movie has been talked about before. In an interview with Total Film, the Submariner actor was prodded on if fans will see more of the hero, to which Huerta responded "I hope so! I hope so!!" He called out the "fantastic source of stories and mythology" that comes with the character, so he "[hopes] they decide to keep going" with Namor:
“I hope so! I hope so!! Because I want a bigger contract! I want more zeroes in my contract! No, I’m joking. I mean, the mythology around Namor is huge. You can be crazy with all this cultural aspect, and you can create a lot of things with Namor, because they take a fantastic source of stories and mythology and religion and everything. So I hope they decide to keep going with the character, past its own story or whatever.”
And it looks like Marvel Studios really cares about this character, so it seems likely they would want to carry on with him. Feige told Marvel recently that they "commissioned a script 18 years ago" for the character, but "the timing was never right, and the idea was never right." He even revealed that the idea of Namor or something adjacent to the character almost appeared in the first Black Panther, when director Ryan Coogler "[pitched] a war between kingdoms" that never made it into the first film:
“Namor, as the Marvel fans, know is one of, if not the original. He and Human Torch, right? Almost the same time. And so that, for forever, it’s been on our lists. I remember 18 years ago putting together… I think we even commissioned a script 18 years ago and the timing was never right and the idea was never right. Ryan Coogler on the first movie started pitching a war between kingdoms and if you actually added a cultural specificity to Namor and that’s certainly what he’s done in this movie. And it’s not Atlantis, it’s Talocan. And I can’t wait for people to meet the Talocanil and Namor.”
The Marvel Studios executive also hinted at a future with Namor, saying that "the [MCU's] Phases are all about introductions," and if fans look at it by Phase, Phase 4 ends with Wakanda Forever (and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special), a movie in which audiences are introduced to "an entire new character, who is the very foundation of what we do at Marvel:”
“Well, I obviously I don’t want to talk too much about Phase 5 and even and about Phase 4 tonight. This is really about Wakanda Forever. But the reason this anchors Phase 4, and the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special coming out soon, is because the Phases are all about introductions, right? And Phase 4 has been all… think of all the characters we’ve met here and now finally in the finale here of Phase 4. Looking at it by Phases, we meet an entire new kingdom and an entire new character, who is is the very foundation of what we do at Marvel.”
Where will Fans see Namor Next?
After the critical reception of Wakanda Forever, along with these coy quotes from both Kevin Feige and Tenoch Huerta, it only seems like a matter of time before audiences will see Namor show up again in the MCU.
Right now there are still a couple of blanks left on the Marvel Studios calendar, meaning that a Namor solo film could nicely slot into any of those. If early reactions to the hero's debut are to be believed, then Namor in the MCU is a hit, so wouldn't a solo film announcement be ready in the chamber?
Marvel Studios would not introduce a new hero - especially one with as much mythology and a whole separate underwater world - without plans to utilize that in the future. That would be like the Guardians of the Galaxy introducing audiences to the cosmic realm of the MCU, without ever following up on it.
Namor isn't just a new character for Marvel Studios, he is the figurehead of what could be a whole new vertical of the MCU for Feige and co. to play around with.
Tenoch Nuerta's Namor can be seen in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever when it hits theaters on November 11.
