Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s Main Villain Reportedly Revealed

Despite being one of the oldest characters in the Marvel universe, dating back to 1939, Namor the Sub-Mariner has yet to make his live-action debut, but that might finally be about to change. For the past couple of years, there’s been a lot of talk of the underwater antihero showing up in either Doctor Strange 2 or Black Panther 2 AKA Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, with the latter generally being thought of as the more likely due to how packed the former will be.

Now, a new rumor is claiming that yes, Namor will be appearing in Wakanda Forever. And not just appearing in it, but serving as the sequel’s main villain. This intel comes from Michael Roman of the YouTube channel Everything Always. Take this how you will, but Roman claims that Namor was always set to be the antagonist of the piece, although the movie’s plot had to be completely restructured after Chadwick Boseman’s tragic passing last year.

Initially, the film would’ve been about a clash between the two kings – the monarch of Wakanda and the ruler of Atlantis. However, with T’Challa being written out, Namor will see an opening to conquer the nation now that it’s weak from losing its beloved leader. Roman also teases that there will be a huge battle between the two kingdoms in the sequel.

Comic book readers will know that Namor has been utilized as both a hero and villain and everything in between over the decades. He started out as a bad guy, though, so it makes sense to replicate that in the MCU. It’s also a neat idea to have him debut in the Black Panther franchise, as there’s a similarity between the advanced, hidden society of Atlantis and that of Wakanda.

As for where he could go after this, Namor can fit into the picture in various ways. He might become a member of the MCU’s Illuminati, or as the canonical oldest mutant in the Marvel universe, he may just pave the way for the introduction of the X-Men. Of course, this rumor could be off the mark, but it does line up with some of what we’ve heard before.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is scheduled to release in theaters on July 8th, 2022.