Namor The Sub-Mariner 'octor Strange 2

A sequel to ‘Doctor Strange’ was a given, and there has been chatter about it over the past few months.  But with Benedict Cumberbatch‘s Stephen Strange dead (*wink!*) and ‘Avengers: Endgame’ coming up, any upcoming Marvel projects beyond ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ are top secret.  But first of all, Marvel has to have SOMETHING coming up for next year, even if we don’t know what it is.  And a sequel to ‘Doctor Strange’ seems due.  With the behind-the-scenes buzz about it, it’s logical that this will be one of the next Marvel movies, if they get crackin’.  (That is, if they’re not already crackin’ in secret.  Benedict Wong implied that shooting might have begun last year!)

Now, director Scott Derrickson, who helmed the first ‘Doctor Strange’ and is confirmed to return for the sequel, tweeted a ‘Strange’-themed message… then deleted it.  But the account SuperheroPoll! Plus+ captured the message, which featured a comic illustration of Strange drowning, with Namor the Sub-Mariner swimming up behind him.  Derrickson’s caption read, “Are You Experienced?,” which seems to be a reference to the Jimi Hendrix Experience song, which has lyrics that certainly hint at some aquatic intervention.

Last spring, Kevin Feige commented on including Namor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, saying:

“I think there’s a way to probably figure it out but it does have — it’s not as clean or clear as the majority of the other characters.”

The problem is that the rights to Namor were licensed to Universal Pictures/Legendary.  This sounds similar to the issues surrounding The Hulk, which also involve Universal, who made the 2003 movie directed by Ang Lee.  That’s why there haven’t been any more Hulk solo movies and his storyline has been developed in the ‘Avengers’ flicks and ‘Thor: Ragnarok’.

Namor is technically the oldest Marvel superhero, having debuted in ‘Marvel Comics’ #1 in 1939.  Despite that fact, plus his impressive array of powers, including superhuman strength, invulnerability, flight (thanks to those adorable wings on his ankles), and the ability to breathe on land or underwater, Namor has never been the most popular character.

But he is amphibious, and a certain other amphibious superhero recently broke records with their film, so Marvel may also be peeking under the seas for inspiration.  (Not that Marvel needs to borrow ideas from anybody.)

However, considering that Namor is an important character in a high position of power (he’s the King of his Atlantis), he would bring a lot to the MCU.  But he isn’t a huge draw on his own, so maybe he could be employed the same way as the Hulk, as a supporting star in other movies, who still gets his time to shine.

A ‘Doctor Strange’ movie makes a perfect entry point for Namor, as the two spent decades working together as The Defenders (not to be confused with those characters on the Netflix series).

But could Derrickson have just been yanking our chains?  At this point, who knows?

Would you like to see Namor the Sub-Mariner come to life during Marvel’s next phase?