The Marvel Cinematic Universe gets another mutant in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, as actor Tenoch Huerta confirms Namor is a mutant in the sequel. After over four years of waiting for another Black Panther movie, the MCU is only a few weeks away from releasing the highly-anticipated follow up. One of the most exciting aspects of the film for many is the inclusion of Namor the Sub-Mariner as the villain. The underwater ruler was long theorized to be the perfect villain for Black Panther 2, but it was not until the debut of the first trailer at San Diego Comic-Con 2022 that audiences got a look at the half-mutant/half-Atlantean.
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MCU Phase 4 has been busy laying the foundation for the X-Men's introduction by including several mutants. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness featured Patrick Stewart's Professor X thanks to the multiverse. Meanwhile, Ms. Marvel's finale included a huge twist that revealed Kamala Khan is a mutant, too. These teases put a lot of attention on Tenoch Huerta's role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, as they could mean Namor's mutant connections from the comics could be included.
During an interview with Empire to promote the upcoming sequel, Tenoch Huerta confirmed to the outlet that despite some changes to the MCU's version of the villain, Namor is a mutant in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The outlet notes: "One detail that is carrying over from the comics? According to Huerta, his Namor is indeed a mutant." The distinction came as part of the confirmation that the MCU's Namor is inspired by the history of Mesoamerica, which includes changing Atlantis' name to Talocan.
Why Namor Being An MCU Mutant In Black Panther 2 Is So Important
Namor being a mutant in the MCU could be a very big deal for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and beyond. Although Namor is not always identified for his mutant DNA, it is a key aspect of his background in the comics. He is even known as Marvel's first mutant, a title that could be retained in the MCU even if he is the second to be featured on Earth-616. Namor's mutant genes are responsible for his signature angel wing-tipped ankles, which Black Panther 2's trailer confirmed are part of his MCU look.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever confirming Namor's mutant connection is also another building block for the X-Men. Marvel Studios using Namor's comic backstory gives the shared universe an easy path to bringing the existence of mutants further into the MCU's past. If Namor is a mutant, that means that there is at least a few decades of time when a mutant has been living in secret on Earth. This hopefully means that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will explicitly state in the movie that Namor is a mutant, allowing for additional teases for the X-Men, instead of it being a part of his unspoken origin.