Namor the Submariner is not the villain of the upcoming Marvel sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, says actor Tenoch Huerta. In an interview with Empire, Huerta has explained how Namor will factor into proceedings, with the actor hoping that the underwater ruler will change the way Latin-Americans are portrayed in big blockbuster movies.

"Latin-Americans are always the bad guys in Hollywood movies. And now we are the heroes – or an anti-hero, in this instance."

Huerta later added that "[Latin-Americans] are making something to be proud of in Hollywood." So, while Namor will not the villain, Huerta does call the character an antihero, suggesting that the character’s live-action debut will stick closely to the comics in that regard.

Following the release of the most recent trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, being an antihero is not the only element that will follow Namor from the pages of Marvel Comics to the big screen. Namor sports a costume that is very similar to his inked counterpart. Sporting the same green trunks and pointy-ears, Namor will even have his winged ankles. Something that many thought would be left out when the character joined the MCU.

The similarities continue, with Namor now confirmed to be a mutant. Where the changes will occur is with Namor’s underwater kingdom, with the sequel changing the civilization from Atlantis to Talocan and taking inspiration from Mayan and Aztec iconography.

Director Ryan Coogler Has Called Namor a ‘Dream Antagonist’

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Marvel Studios

While Namor will not be a straight-up villain, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever director Ryan Coogler has described him as an “antagonist,” saying, “The contrast between T’Challa and Namor – their characters, and their nations – just leaps off the page. He’s a dream antagonist.”

Thus, though Namor will play an adversarial role in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, it sounds like, in another movie, he could be the protagonist. A leader determined to protect his kingdom, Namor and T’Challa possess many similarities, with the success of Namor’s anti-heroism no doubt coming down to his motivations for war. While the recent trailer does not reveal what those motivations are, Huerta has revealed that Namor attacks Wakanda after they decide to reveal themselves to the world. A decision that threatens the underwater civilization of Talocan. "That decision puts Talocan in jeopardy. And Talocan has to take action to protect themselves," the actor explained.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever centers on Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M’Baku, Okoye, and Nakia as they fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T’Challa’s death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together when they find themselves under attack from Namor the Submariner.

Directed by Ryan Coogler, who has co-written the screenplay with Joe Robert Cole, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever stars Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Winston Duke, Florence Kasumba, Dominique Thorne, Michaela Coel, Martin Freeman, Angela Bassett, and Tenoch Huerta as Namor.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is scheduled to be released in the United States on November 11, 2022, as the final film in Phase Four of the MCU.