Avengers: Doomsday has one of the biggest casts of any Marvel Cinematic Universe project yet, and I’m very curious about how the franchise will explore the unusual relationship between Sue Storm and Namor the Sub-Mariner. With so many confirmed characters cast in Doomsday, it is unlikely that many will be able to be given a large focus in the film’s limited runtime. Because of this, certain dynamics, pulled straight from the comics, might be avoided entirely or glossed over.

Romance in the MCU has not been the franchise’s strongest feature. While some great dynamics have received focus, such as Peter and MJ, or Tony and Pepper, the intimacy and pᴀssion shared between lovers has not generally been featured in Marvel movies. The MCU’s first Sєx scene did not appear in the series until Eternals, which was one of the franchise’s most poorly received films. All of this makes me curious how the franchise will explore the potentially problematic relationship between Sue and Namor.

Sue Storm & Namor Are Both Confirmed For The Cast Of Avengers: Doomsday

Vanessa Kirby And Tenoch Huerta Were Both Confirmed For The New Film

Marvel recently revealed the cast of Avengers: Doomsday in a live stream, and while many names were expected, including Pedro Pascal and Sebastian Stan, others came as a surprise. Tenoch Huerta, who debuted as Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, was finally confirmed to return to the franchise. Following accusations of Sєxual ᴀssault against Huerta in 2023, there was uncertainty about whether he would return to the MCU. However, he was recently confirmed to appear in Doomsday.

Vanessa Kirby, star of The Crown and Mission: Impossible – Fallout, is also confirmed to star in Doomsday. This follows her debut in the upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps, where she will appear alongside Pedro Pascal, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn. Each of these other members of the Fantastic Four cast will also appear in Doomsday, suggesting how important that film and its characters might wind up being to the larger story of the Multiverse Saga.

Sue Storm & Namor Being In The Same MCU Movie Is Notable Given Their Extensive & Complicated Comic History

Sue And Namor Have Shared Some Complicated Stories

Namor the Sub-Mariner is one of the oldest characters in all of Marvel Comics, and he went on to appear in one of the earliest stories of Marvel’s First Family in Fantastic Four #4, from 1962. In the comic, Namor and Sue share a strange relationship, where Namor finds himself attracted to her. While Sue is with Reed, she feels a level of conflict over her physical attraction to Namor, but does eventually decide that she wishes to stay with Reed. This leaves Namor heartbroken and jealous, and sees him act out in horrifying ways.

Stories like this have repeated themselves in the comics throughout the years, with Sue giving in to Namor’s pressure more or less, depending on the story. Namor’s infatuation with Sue always tends to become enormous and destructive, however, and brings out the worst sides of the character. Namor becomes jealous and violent concerning Sue, previously kidnapping her or threatening the people that she loves in order to force her to be with him. These stories have grown only more concerning with time.

The MCU Is Likely To Build Its Own Version Of Namor & Sue Storm’s Dynamic, And I’m Fascinated To See What That Looks Like

The Movie Versions Of These Characters Will Likely Be Very Different

I doubt that this same dynamic between Namor and Sue will be presented in the MCU. Sue is already committed to Reed in the franchise, and Sue’s pregnancy in The Fantastic Four: First Steps suggests the pair’s on-screen story will focus on their family. Even if Namor feels an attraction to Sue, it appears as though the version of Namor that appeared in Wakanda Forever is too intelligent and idealistic to sacrifice his principles to chase down Sue. Ultimately, it seems the older version of the relationship is too outdated, and does not serve the characters in the MCU.

Instead, what is more likely to happen in Doomsday is that a new dynamic may be explored between Namor and Sue. Perhaps the two will connect as friends, or perhaps there can even be a bit of romantic tension between them. However, it is very unlikely that the film will force a slavish devotion to some of the outdated comic book stories of the past. Turning Sue into an object of Namor’s desire feels cheap and outdated, and Marvel has already proven willing to change comic stories in the MCU, making this update even more likely.

However the stories between Namor and Sue play out in the MCU, I’m excited to see them together in Avengers: Doomsday. Namor is probably my favourite character introduced to the franchise in recent years, and there needs to be much more of him. Putting him alongside characters that have existed in the comics for many years, with whom he has shared so many stories, is the perfect way to tie things together, even if they create new dynamics for them. Updates to the material like these can help make Avengers: Doomsday into something truly special.

Upcoming MCU Movies

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  Thunderbolts*

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  May 2, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  The Fantastic Four: First Steps

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  July 25, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Avengers: Doomsday (2026)

  
  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Spider-Man: Brand New Day

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  July 31, 2026
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Avengers: Secret Wars

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  May 7, 2027
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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