With Black Panther, director Ryan Coogler broadened out the scope of the MCU significantly. The arrival of Wakanda in all its glory felt like a whole new world had opened up – a place that had audiences clamouring to return to (which, luckily, they soon did in Avengers: Infinity War). And while long-awaited sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will in part take audiences even deeper into the technologically-advanced African nation, Coogler’s upcoming film will also introduce viewers once again to a whole new world: Namor, Marvel’s infamous Sub-Mariner, is coming – and he’s taking us beneath the waves.
A mainstay of Marvel Comics since the late ‘30s, Namor – also the leader of an advanced civilisation – has often clashed with Black Panther on the page, making him a prime candidate to strike up some drama in Wakanda Forever. “The contrast between T’Challa and Namor – their characters, and their nations – just leaps off the page,” says Coogler of the comic book runs. “He’s a dream antagonist.”
Namor will be played here by Mexican actor Tenoch Huerta, previously seen in The Forever Purge and Tigers Are Not Afraid – with this incarnation of the character inspired by the culture and history of Mesoamerica. “You can take Atlantis from Greek myth, or you can adapt from a real culture,” argues Huerta. Rather than the ruler of Atlantis, on the screen he’s the ruler of Talocan – and he’s drawn to the surface by the ramifications of T’Challa’s decision in Black Panther’s final reel to reveal the truth of Wakanda to the world. “That decision puts Talocan in jeopardy,” Huerta explains. “And Talocan has to take action to protect themselves.” One detail that is carrying over from the comics? According to Huerta, his Namor is indeed a mutant.
For comics fans, it’s a chance to finally see one of the longest-running Marvel characters finally take to the big screen – though there were initial plans for Namor to be teased a few years ago. “Ryan had a pitch for a tag at the end of Black Panther,” Marvel boss Kevin Feige reveals. “The camera would push through the palace in Wakanda, and then we’d see wet footprints leading up to the throne.” Get ready for the ultimate clash of kingdoms.
Read Empire’s full world-exclusive Black Panther: Wakanda Forever feature – with the complete story on a film with all the odds stacked against it, featuring never-before-seen images and brand new interviews with director Ryan Coogler, Marvel boss Kevin Feige, stars Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Angela Bassett, Winston Duke, Dominique Thorne, Tenoch Huerta, and more – in the November 2022 issue, on sale Thursday 29 September. Pre-order a copy online here now. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is due in UK cinemas from 11 November.