What’s the deal with Namor the Sub-Mariner? Supposedly, his rights remained with Universal Pictures. The same studio also owns the rights to Hulk. After their last movie about the jade giant, they shared Bruce Banner and his alter-ego with Marvel Studios; but to only use him as a featuring character. You would think they could do the same with the prince of Atlantis.
Though Kevin Feige, the head of Marvel Studios, has said that the whole ordeal with Namor is “complicated.”
But on Kevin Smith’s podcast, Fatman on Batman, where the once indie director interviews all sorts of folks from the comic biz, he spoke with Marvel Comics Chief Creative Officer, Joe Quesada. (It’s interesting to note that Smith and Quesada once worked on a Daredevil title together, as Quesada started off with Marvel as an artist)
Smith- “The same people that own Iron Man, own the Sub-Mariner?”
Quesada- “I can’t speak for studios…As far as I know, yeah we do. It’s not at Fox, it’s not at Sony…Yeah.”
Furthermore, when Smith asked Quesada if we could see Sub-Mariner in the Marvel Cinematic Universe anytime soon, the CCO said, “I cannot confirm or deny, sir.” And usually, when someone says that, they mean yes.
And if “yes,” where do you think we’ll see the sea prince pit his war against the land-lubbers? He has been both a hero and a villain in the comics. But one thing’s for sure, his people is always first. When the rights to Spider-Man were finally acquired, the Phrase Three slate was jumbled around to squeeze him in. Though, especially with another shake-up with the Ant-Man sequel, I don’t foresee them doing that again. I think either, he’ll cameo in one of the other movies first, like Spidey and Black Panther did, or wait until Phase 4.
Chances are, we will have to wait until Phase 4, anyway. If Quesada can’t confirm nor deny, and Feige says it’s complicated, I won’t hold my breath just yet.
Listen to the whole podcast here:
Source: Fatman on Batman