Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Namora Actor Addresses Her Future MCU Hopes

Exclusive: Mabel Cadena doesn’t know what the future holds for Namora, but she is hopeful that she will be able to return for more Marvel projects.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star Mabel Cadena reveals she hasn’t heard anything about Namora’s future in the MCU, but she wants to continue playing the Talokan warrior. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever introduced a new corner of the MCU with Talokan, led by Namor. The people of Talokan proved to be dangerous when their safety was threatened, armed with vibranium, impressively harsh battle tactics, and the ability to breathe underwater. When their home was threatened by the world’s search for vibranium, following T’Challa’s revelation about Wakanda’s resources, they blamed Wakanda, expecting the once-isolated nation to help keep their secrets.

Talokan is led by Namor, with his two warriors, Namora and Attuma, supporting his decisions and leading the charge against invaders at his side. In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant, Cadena shared her hope of continuing to play Namora, one of the leaders of Talokan, in the MCU. She also explained that she hasn’t been told anything about what her future could entail at this time.

Mabel Cadena: I promise you, I don’t know anything about the future. I promise you! I swear. My last call was with Victoria, and I was very nervous about what she would say. Victoria just said, “Hey, have fun, rest, vacation.” She didn’t say anything about the future, so I don’t know what’s happening. I hope [a lot of things] happen, because I really want to continue playing Namora in the future.

Related: Does Namor’s Talokan Exist In Marvel Comics?

What The MCU Could Do With Talokan & Namora After Black Panther 2

Although the rights to Namor make his MCU future tricky, Talokan is a corner of the MCU that is worthy of further exploration. The underwater civilization has a fascinating history and culture, with its own language and people. Vibranium will likely still be a target for powerful nations in the MCU, like America, which could mean that Talokan could pop up in other MCU projects like Thunderbolts or even Captain America: New World Order.

In the comics, Namora is a member of Agents of Atlas, which is led by Jimmy Woo. While Black Panther: Wakanda Forever does not set up a way for her to transition, given her hatred for the people on the surface, it could be an interesting road for her to go down. Namora could eventually join a team like the Agents of Atlas, especially if they either leverage her into joining or have something that will help her protect her people.

Another possibility is Ironheart, with both Talokan and Riri Williams introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Riri initially being a target of the Talokani. Exploring Riri’s trauma, especially through flashbacks or nightmares, could be an opportunity to bring Namora back and further delve into what the MIT student experienced while being held captive. Talokan is a civilization with a rich history that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever only scratches the surface of. Marvel needs to explore it further, whether through Ironheart, an Agents of Atlas project, or even a Talokan-focused project.

Next: The MCU Would Be Very Different If Iron Man Discovered Talokan

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is now available on Blu-ray, 4K, and DVD.