Marvel Studios is famous for keeping its upcoming storylines under lock and key. This secrecy goes double for the plot of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which has been identified as the most highly anticipated film of 2022. In addition to featuring the return of Princess Shuri, Okoye, Nakia, and M’Baku, the new Marvel sequel may include a previously-unseen comic book character: Namor the Sub-Mariner.
Rumor has it that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will feature Namor the Sub-Mariner in the first live-action iteration of the comic book antihero. According to a report on Bleeding Cool (via Screenrant), he will not only play a role but his cousin Namora, and the Atlantean warlord Attuma will allegedly be involved in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever as well.
Who Exactly Is Namor the Sub-Mariner?
If one isn’t up to date on all of the Marvel comics, the name Namor is probably unfamiliar. Let’s start with the basics. Created in 1939 by Bill Everett, Namor is the son of human sea captain Leonard McKenzie and Princess Fen of Atlantis, an undersea city that is home to a race of aquatic humanoids. He has several superhuman abilities, including super strength, super speed, and the ability to survive underwater. The powerful being has acted as both a villain and an antihero throughout his appearances in the comics, leading to encounters with the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and members of the Avengers like Iron Man and Captain America.
How Could Namor Play Into Black Panther: Wakanda Forever?
So what does this character have to do with the Black Panther and Wakanda? Quite a bit, actually. In one of the Black Panther comic book storylines, Namor flooded Wakanda using the Phoenix Force and ultimately ignited an ongoing rivalry with T’Challa. The Wakandan prince will not be appearing in the big-screen sequel, but it’s possible that a film version of the Atlantean could butt heads with Shuri and the rest of the returning characters. Bleeding Cool also alleged that the character's turn in Wakanda Forever will set up a future franchise, just like the introduction of Chadwick Boseman's character in Captain America: Civil War did for his own film series.
Marvel Studios has neither confirmed nor denied this speculation, but fans have pointed out several Easter eggs that hint at Namor’s participation in the MCU. An underwater earthquake was mentioned in Avengers: Endgame, and Tiamut’s eruption from the Indian Ocean in Eternals seems to set the stage for a future conflict beneath the waves. Given Namor’s comic interactions with the Fantastic Four and the group’s upcoming addition to the MCU, the Marvel powers that be may have decided to dredge the character up from the depths. Only time will tell if the rumors sink or swim.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is now in production and is scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 11, 2022. Casting for Namor the Sub-Mariner has not been announced, but fans will surely be waiting to see how things shake out!
