Every Upcoming Marvel Movie Namor Could Appear In

When will the Marvel Cinematic Universe finally introduce Namor the Sub-Mariner? Namor, who has been a major character in the comics for 80 years, has yet to appear on the big or small screen, but his chance could finally come in one of the Marvel movies confirmed to be in development.

Dozens of Marvel characters less important to the Marvel Universe than Namor have already made it into the MCU, so what’s taking Marvel so long to introduce the Sub-Mariner? Namor is just one of many Marvel heroes whose rights were tied up with another studio. The movie rights to Namor were sold to Universal, which kept Marvel from using him. Apparently, the situation with Namor has since changed, as it’s been said that that the rights are now back with Marvel. But that doesn’t mean a Namor movie is now on the table, as the distribution rights may still belong to Universal. However, it could be possible for Marvel to find an alternate avenue when it comes to introducing its aquatic anti-hero.

Because of distribution rights issues, Marvel can’t make a solo Hulk movie either, but that didn’t stop them from inserting him into all four Avengers movies and Thor: Ragnarok. If the same rules apply to Namor, then it may be possible for Marvel Studios to bring Namor into the MCU by putting him in an another character’s movie. Marvel has a large number of movies on its slate for the next few years, and out of all them, there are three that can be considered viable options for serving as Namor’s MCU debut. Here’s every upcoming Marvel movie that could feature the iconic character.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Marvel’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is confirmed to include Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), and is rumored to feature quite a few more characters, such as Clea, Brother Voodoo, America Chavez, and Baron Mordo, so even though there’s the belief that Doctor Strange 2 is risking having too many characters, there may be even more major inclusions that haven’t been announced yet. One such character could be Namor the Sub-Mariner, who has been rumored for Doctor Strange 2 ever since the movie’s original director, Scott Derrickson, teased him in a since-deleted tweet.

Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige added fuel to the rumor by revealing that an unexpected character Marvel “always wanted to use” would appear in Doctor Strange 2. This mysterious guest character could very well be Namor, and he fits the description used by Feige. Namor is someone who has been talked about for a while, and he’s someone who would qualify as an unexpected addition, whereas Brother Voodoo and Clea are expected, given that they are Doctor Strange characters.

How would Namor fit into Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness? In the comic books, Namor and Doctor Strange are allies who have worked together closely since they formed the Defenders in the 1970s. The movie could adapt some version of this relationship. If the multiverse is in danger, Namor could align himself with Strange. Fitting with what the title suggests for the movie, Namor’s involvement could introduce viewers to a new side of the MCU by showing off Atlantis. Doctor Strange comics are always about going to wild, unexpected places, so the underwater city of Atlantis feels like the perfect destination for the Sorcerer Supreme.

Black Panther 2

The upcoming Marvel movie Namor has been linked with most is Black Panther 2. For many fans, the expectation is that Namor will act as the movie’s villain. Though Namor is often depicted as a hero or anti-hero in the comics, this isn’t always the case. Namor is a character who can be utilized in multiple ways, and for Black Panther 2 in particular, being the main villain makes sense. In the comics, Wakanda has always had strained relations with Atlantis, and for this reason, Black Panther and Namor have always had difficulties in getting along. Sometimes, their hostile relationship has even led to war between the two kingdoms.

Namor would make for an interesting antagonist for Black Panther, due in part to the physical threat he would pose. Namor is strong enough to go toe-to-toe with Marvel’s strongest heroes, including Thor, Hercules, and the Hulk. With that in mind, it’s easy to see how he would outclass Black Panther. Needless to say, Namor would be a far more challenging opponent than Killmonger. T’Challa would be pushed to his limit against Namor, who he likely won’t be able to beat fairly. Pitting Black Panther against such a powerful adversary would certainly be an interesting direction for the movie, and would build on Avengers: Endgame‘s Namor tease for Wakanda.

Fantastic Four

Due to the Disney-Fox deal, Marvel finally has access to the X-Men and the Fantastic Four. Exactly when either property will get an MCU movie is unclear, but at SDCC 2019, a Fantastic Four movie was officially confirmed by Kevin Feige, and it stands a good chance at being one of the movies Marvel has planned for 2023.

The most obvious candidate for the movie’s main villain is Doctor Doom, but he doesn’t have to be the only villain in the mix – nor does he have to be introduced immediately. Namor the Sub-Mariner, who was one of the Fantastic Four’s earliest villains, battled them numerous times in the Silver Age. A lot of the conflict between them was related directly to Namor’s affection for the Invisible Woman and his desire to lash out against humanity, who he viewed as an enemy of Atlantis. A Fantastic Four movie could see Marvel’s First Family take on Namor and his forces. A Doctor Doom-Namor alliance could be on the cards as well. Just like their comic book counterparts, the two could end up betraying each other, with one of them becoming a reluctant ally to the Fantastic Four.

For the time being, Marvel may have no plans for a solo Namor the Sub-Mariner movie, but his situation could change at some point in the future. Either way, Marvel still has options for introducing Namor to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and a role in any of these three films could set up future MCU appearances for the Avenging Son.