It's become clear that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will introduce a very different take on Namor the Submariner, with the character now the ruler of Talocan and known as K'uk'ulkan. Actor Tenoch Huerta has made it clear his take on the undersea ruler is an anti-hero rather than a villain, and it sounds like Namor will be in line with his comic book counterpart.
Talking to Entertainment Weekly, director Ryan Coogler teased what fans can expect from the MCU's take on this character. "He's always been really cool and charismatic, but also arrogant," the filmmaker says. "He's kind of an asshole, kind of romantic, and just incredibly powerful."
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever producer Nate Moore elaborated on the decision to reinvent Namor and Atlantis as being part of a Mesoamerican civilization hidden under the sea that draws inspiration from Mayan culture. That led to Marvel Studios consulting with Mayan historians and experts to ensure what we see on screen is authentic.
"They often find themselves in conflict because they're not dissimilar," Moore says of Talocan and Wakanda. "They are these nations that would prefer to be hidden and isolated, with monarchs who are incredibly powerful and have strong points of view about how the world should be."
As for Huerta, he definitely sees the good within Namor. "Maybe the most important twist in the character is that he's not a selfish person," the actor explains. "He's taking care of a community. He's not an individualist. He's part of a tribe."
We're definitely excited to see what this take on the character brings to the MCU and what future he and his nation have beyond the Black Panther sequel. The comic book readers among you may recall a particularly epic moment when Namor and his army arrived to help Captain America during Civil War, and we'd love to see a similar scene play out, albeit to help defeat Kang!
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, directed by Ryan Coogler and produced by Kevin Feige and Nate Moore, opens in theaters on November 11.
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