Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star Tenoch Huerta has explained how the Marvel Cinematic Universe version of Namor the Sub-Mariner was inspired by the culture and history of Mesoamerica.

The actor, who was officially confirmed to be playing Namor at 2022's San Diego Comic-Con after months of rumors, spoke with Empire about how the kingdom Namor rules over in the MCU will not be Atlantis. "You can take Atlantis from Greek myth, or you can adapt from a real culture," Huerta said. Instead, the character will lead the nation of Talocan, described in several Mesoamerican manuscripts as a paradise. Huerta also explained how Namor and Talocan's inclusion in Wakanda Forever stems from T'Challa revealing to the world Wakanda's true nature, which Namor believes has put "Talocan in jeopardy. And Talocan has to take action to protect themselves."

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Created by Bill Everett, Namor the Sub-Mariner officially debuted in Marvel Comics #1 in 1939 following an appearance in an uncirculated comic exclusive to movie theaters. He is known for being one of the first anti-heroes in comic books and has repeatedly fought alongside or against the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, the Defenders, the X-Men and the Illuminati in the pages of Marvel Comics. Although Namor has been featured in several Marvel animated series, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will mark the first time the character has appeared in a live-action project.

Marvel Adds Another Mutant to the MCU

Namor's debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever also means that Marvel will have now introduced three mutants into the MCU after the Earth-838 variant of Professor Charles Xavier in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) and Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel in Ms. Marvel Season 1 (2022). Marvel has also teased the existence of Wolverine in the MCU in the second episode of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and will debut mutant Sabra in 2024's Captain America: New World Order, with Shira Haas set to play the Israeli superhero. Mr. Immortal, who is a mutant in the comic books, also appeared in an episode of She-Hulk, although his status as a mutant in the MCU remains unconfirmed by Marvel at this time,

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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will center on the leaders of Wakanda fighting to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Martin Freeman and Angela Bassett star in the upcoming MCU sequel, which opens in theaters on Nov. 11 as the final film in Phase Four of the MCU.

Source: Empire