Ahead of the release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, star Tenoch Huerta discusses Namor's potential future in the MCU. After finding success with 2018's Black Panther, director Ryan Coogler returns to helm the film's sequel, which will mark the official end of Phase 4 of the MCU. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever follows the people of Wakanda as they deal with powerful new players on the world stage while also mourning the loss of their king. The tough decision to kill King T'Challa within the MCU was made after the tragic passing of actor Chadwick Boseman in 2020.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever sees the return of characters like Letitia Wright's Shuri, Lupita Nyong'o's Nakia, Danai Gurira's Okoye, and Angela Bassett's Ramonda, but also introduces several notable newcomers. Huerta's Namor will finally make his big-screen debut in the upcoming film, acting as one of the film's antagonists. Huerta has already teased that his character is more of an anti-hero than a straightforward villain, with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever trailers providing a first look at his comics-accurate appearance and unique powers. Namor serves as the leader of the underwater kingdom of Talocan, boasting wings on his ankles, which trailers have shown will make him a formidable adversary.

Related: Namor Can Potentially Join 5 MCU Teams After Black Panther 2

In a recent interview with Total Film (via The Direct), Tenoch Huerta discusses Namor's future in the MCU after his introduction in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. While the actor doesn't give away anything concrete, he certainly seems excited by the prospect of exploring Namor's rich history in the MCU if given the chance. Check out Huerta's full comment below when asked about whether fans can expect any additional Namor MCU appearances:

"I hope so! I hope so!! Because I want a bigger contract! I want more zeroes in my contract! No, I’m joking. I mean, the mythology around Namor is huge. You can be crazy with all this cultural aspect, and you can create a lot of things with Namor, because they take a fantastic source of stories and mythology and religion and everything. So I hope they decide to keep going with the character, past its own story or whatever."

How Black Panther 2 Could Set Up Namor's Future In The MCU

Namor flies in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Although Namor appears to be set up as a major source of antagonism in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Huerta's previous description of his character as an anti-hero certainly means he could play an exciting role moving forward. After all, Tom Hiddleston's Loki was introduced as something of a villain in 2012's The Avengers but would later come to play a crucial role in the MCU and now even has his own series on Disney+. While a conflict between Wakanda and Namor's Talocan seems to be inevitable in the upcoming film, the two nations may also be able to put aside their differences in the end, allowing for some exciting team-ups in the future.

Huerta has also confirmed that Namor, like his comic book counterpart, is a mutant in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. After Ms. Marvel introduced the MCU's first mutant with Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), excitement has been building regarding the role that mutants will play in Marvel films moving forward, and Namor could be a crucial part of that after the events of the upcoming film. While many mysteries remain about Namor's role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Huerta's comment affirms that the star is hoping to play this role for many films to come.

Source: Total Film (via The Direct)

Next: Wakanda Forever's Namor Change Justifies His Ridiculous Power Level

Key Release Dates