In an age where characters as obscure as Drax The Destroyer can find their way to the movie screen, one Marvel character has evaded the film industry for decades despite being one of the most important comic book characters to exist. Today we talk about Namor The Sub-Mariner and his confusing film history.
For those of you who don't know Namor, fear not! I have the answers! See, Namor was one of Marvel's first characters, in fact being their first anti-hero. He was created by Bill Everett and appeared in "Motion Picture Funnies Weekly" in 1939, but had a more permanent appearance in "Marvel Comics #1" in 1940. Namor was portrayed as the Prince of Atlantis who would constantly attack seafarers and the surface world for their crimes against the ocean. Basically, if you tossed a soda can in the ocean, he'd throw it back harder. Namor is one of the few cases of DC Comics mimicking something from Marvel-usually it's the other way around-as Aquaman was created in 1941, two years after Namor's conception. Being one of their first characters, Namor was also part of Marvel's first superhero team-The Invaders-with Captain America (1941) and The Human Torch (1939). It should be noted that The Human Torch on The Invaders was not Johnny Storm-who'd be created by Stan Lee two decades later-and was rather another early Marvel character named Jim Hammond who was an android (a man-shaped robot). Though Hammond and Namor came to blows many times, Namor saw the threat of The Axis Powers and held a truce with America's heroes to defeat The Nazis. Poetic that Namor would interact with that Human Torch because Stan Lee would revive the character in the pages of Fantastic Four as an enemy and occasional ally to the team. Namor since has been an on-and-off hero and villain, he's been part of The Defenders with Doctor Strange and The Hulk, and more recently has been a member of Marvel's Illuminati with other intelligent and highly respected Marvel characters. In fact, he has also been a member of The X-Men. Though his origin states he is the son of an Atlantean queen and a human sea captain. So the title of "The First Mutant" was more an excuse to put Namor on The X-Men during a darker period in their history, as technically speaking he is simply a hybrid. Also his love interests include a human police officer named Betty Dean, Susan Storm, and his cousin Namora. No, it's not creepy!
With such a long, diverse, and memorable history attached to one of Marvel's oldest characters, why exactly has he never appeared on film? Well, for years people have tried to make that happen. From 1997-1999, film maker Philip Kaufman tried to develop a Namor movie with a very early Marvel Studios, but the idea failed to launch. By 2001, Marvel Studios had partnered with Universal Studios and even Saban Entertainment (the people behind Power Rangers) to get the ball rolling. The date of release was pushed from 2003 to-eventually-2007 before the film was scrapped. In 2008, Marvel Studios/Disney began their shared cinematic universe and film rights had become a topic of discussion. Spider-Man was owned by Sony Pictures back then, Fox had the rights to The Fantastic Four and The X-Men, and The Hulk was under a joint-custody between Universal and Marvel Studios/Disney. But what about Namor? In 2013, it was revealed by Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige the film rights to Namor still sat with Universal. The most recent report-said in July of 2014-is that the Namor film rights do not belong to Marvel, nor do they belong to Universal or Legendary Pictures, but that "there are a number of contracts and deals that need to be sorted out". My best guess is that-because of all these studios being involved-Namor's rights are split up. Spider-Man's rights were in a similar situation before Sony got him. Universal, Legendary, Marvel, maybe even Fox or Saban might own a segment of the Namor rights.
Namor is too important to let slip. After all he seems the most connected to Marvel, being an enemy to The Fantastic Four, a member of The X-Men, always at odds with The Avengers, pretty sure he fought Spider-Man once too. Plus, he is probably the second Marvel character ever created. He is the basis for all anti-heroes and conflicted villains. Yeah he's the Prince of the Sea and Aquaman pretty much does what Namor does with a smile, but Namor holds so many trophies above the heads of other Marvel characters. It should be no surprise that Marvel wants him back, he's even referenced in "Iron Man" by a "superhuman activity" dot over the ocean on a screen and in "Iron Man 2" Namor's company "Oracle" makes an appearance. All that remains is getting the character and letting him loose on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That's what I hope, and maybe now you hope too.
Thanks for reading.
IMPERIUS REX!
Facebook: The Panel Biter
Twitter: @ThePanelBiter
Podbean: Panelbiter.podbean.com
With such a long, diverse, and memorable history attached to one of Marvel's oldest characters, why exactly has he never appeared on film? Well, for years people have tried to make that happen. From 1997-1999, film maker Philip Kaufman tried to develop a Namor movie with a very early Marvel Studios, but the idea failed to launch. By 2001, Marvel Studios had partnered with Universal Studios and even Saban Entertainment (the people behind Power Rangers) to get the ball rolling. The date of release was pushed from 2003 to-eventually-2007 before the film was scrapped. In 2008, Marvel Studios/Disney began their shared cinematic universe and film rights had become a topic of discussion. Spider-Man was owned by Sony Pictures back then, Fox had the rights to The Fantastic Four and The X-Men, and The Hulk was under a joint-custody between Universal and Marvel Studios/Disney. But what about Namor? In 2013, it was revealed by Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige the film rights to Namor still sat with Universal. The most recent report-said in July of 2014-is that the Namor film rights do not belong to Marvel, nor do they belong to Universal or Legendary Pictures, but that "there are a number of contracts and deals that need to be sorted out". My best guess is that-because of all these studios being involved-Namor's rights are split up. Spider-Man's rights were in a similar situation before Sony got him. Universal, Legendary, Marvel, maybe even Fox or Saban might own a segment of the Namor rights.
Namor is too important to let slip. After all he seems the most connected to Marvel, being an enemy to The Fantastic Four, a member of The X-Men, always at odds with The Avengers, pretty sure he fought Spider-Man once too. Plus, he is probably the second Marvel character ever created. He is the basis for all anti-heroes and conflicted villains. Yeah he's the Prince of the Sea and Aquaman pretty much does what Namor does with a smile, but Namor holds so many trophies above the heads of other Marvel characters. It should be no surprise that Marvel wants him back, he's even referenced in "Iron Man" by a "superhuman activity" dot over the ocean on a screen and in "Iron Man 2" Namor's company "Oracle" makes an appearance. All that remains is getting the character and letting him loose on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That's what I hope, and maybe now you hope too.
Thanks for reading.
IMPERIUS REX!
Facebook: The Panel Biter
Twitter: @ThePanelBiter
Podbean: Panelbiter.podbean.com
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