Namor’s Origin and Connection To Mutant-kind
In that storyline, it’s revealed that Prince Namor helped Professor X find mutants before he developed Cerebro. Adapting this would be another great way to distinguish Namor from Aquaman. Namor’s dual-citizenship, as both a Mutant and an Atlantean, has always put him in a strange place in the universe. Not only does he have to deal with the antiquated bigotry of the Atlanteans for his half-blood heritage, he also has to deal with a human race that fears and hates mutantkind.
Exploring this by giving Namor a supporting role in the X-Men franchise could elevate Namor as a character, while simultaneously separating the MCU X-men from the 21st Century Fox era. Making Marvel’s first mutant one of the first of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, would be a beautiful way to honor Marvel history.
The X-Men could greatly benefit storywise through Namor joining their ranks, perhaps even as a founding member of the team. Doing this would move the fan conversation away from Aquaman comparisons and towards his relation to mutantkind and the X-franchise. I would argue that this is best for every property involved. Eventually, Namor should be an instrumental part of the MCU’s take on The Invaders, should they receive an adaptation in the future. His fall from grace storyline, from regal king to war-torn soldier, would make for unique and fresh comic book cinema.
Namor’s Future Is…Complicated
Unfortunately, the arrival of Prince Namor may still be far off. While the specific details of his right’s situation are not public information, the short story is that Universal Studios has their hooks in his silver screen rights. Additionally, they have not maintained a healthy working relationship with Disney since 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.
It’s assumed that he could have a Disney+ TV show like She-Hulk or appear as a supporting character like Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk without the Universal sign-off, but this has never been officially confirmed. A solo movie on the other hand would require cooperation from both studios, an unlikely prospect today. To summarize, Namor’s movie rights are a bit of a mess and that makes the possibility of a MCU appearance significantly more challenging.
Regardless, eventually Namor will debut on the big-screen, and if done right, his franchise could be a monumental success. The Atlantean King could revolutionize the beloved mega-franchise and bring in the same kind of box office numbers as Aquaman, while telling an entirely different story. His tale should focus not only on his duties as king, but on his life as a soldier and a mutant as well, especially if Marvel wishes to avoid comparisons to their Detective Comics compatriots.
It would really be a shame if Prince Namor never left the shadow of the Aquaman…Â
How do you think the MCU should introduce Prince Namor? Will he be able to outshine his DC counterpart at the box-office? Let us know your thoughts and theories in the comments below or on our social media!
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