Black Panther: Wakanda Forever took us on a highly emotional journey in the wake of Chadwick Boseman and T'Challa's deaths, but the sequel was also an important next chapter for the wider MCU. As well as introducing Namor, we also got to spend some time with Riri Williams ahead of Ironheart's release on Disney+ next year.
While her future is clear, we still don't know when or where Namor will return. There have been rumblings about a spin-off for the character, though it remains unclear how that would work if the rights to the hero are indeed still tied up with Universal.
Regardless, we expect Tenoch Huerta's Sub-Mariner to become a major player in the MCU, and some newly revealed concept art showcases the anti-hero in his classic comic book costume.
Joshua James has shared some of his work on the Black Panther sequel, explaining that this design is primarily inspired by what Namor wore in the 1970s when John Romita Sr. was bringing him to life on the page. "For this version I was trying to stick to the classic black and blue comic design by John Romita Sr.," James explains, teasing what might have been.
It's a great costume, but one that wouldn't have really worked for the aesthetic Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ultimately went for. Now, there's a chance we could one day see Namor wear something along these lines in live-action, but that will depend on how the character continues to evolve in the coming years.
"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ranks among Marvel Studios' best movies, and is an emotional, uplifting, tour de force of a blockbuster," we said in our review last year. "Letitia Wright delivers a powerhouse performance, while Angela Bassett’s majestic work will leave you reeling."
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will debut on Disney+ on February 1 ahead of its DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K Ultra HD release on February 7.