Four-time Academy Award winner, Clint Eastwood once opened up about his aversion to comic book movies. Despite receiving numerous offers for superhero films throughout his career, Eastwood has generally stuck to his strengths, avoiding the realm of comic book adaptations. However, in one of the rarest of rare cases, the actor found one comic book character he wouldn’t have minded portraying.
In a 2010 interview with Hero Complex (via MTV), Eastwood reflected on turning down some superhero genre-related opportunities, including the chance to portray Superman in the 1978 film. However, while discussing this, he revealed the one role he would have considered playing.
Clint Eastwood regrets not playing his favorite Marvel superhero role
While talking about his decision to refuse the 1978 Superman, Clint Eastwood explained, “I was like, ‘Superman? Nah, nah, that’s not for me.’ Not that there’s anything wrong with it. It’s for somebody, but not me.” It’s important to note that during the 1970s, comic book movies were still an unproven territory. And hence, almost every prominent leading man in Hollywood was considered for the iconic role, including James Caan, Nick Nolte, and even Patrick Wayne.
While Eastwood declined the offer to play Superman, he expressed interest in a different comic book character—Namor the Sub-Mariner, one of Marvel’s earliest heroes. Created by Bill Everett and introduced in Marvel Comics #1 in the 1930s, Namor is a complex anti-hero who is both half-human and half-Atlantean. Possessing superhuman speed, strength, and the ability to fly with small wings on his ankles, Namor’s mutant gene sets him apart.
Given that Eastwood would have been around 10 years old when the comics were released, it’s understandable how they left a lasting impression on him. While talking about why he would have loved to play Namor, Eastwood revealed, “The Sub-Mariner, that’s the one I always liked. I had all of those comics when I was a kid.”
The journey of Namor in the Marvel Universe
Throughout the character’s comic book history, Namor the Sub-Mariner has engaged in various storylines, including fighting alongside Captain America in World War II, joining the X-Men, and clashing with Black Panther. Fans witnessed the live-action debut of Namor in the highly anticipated film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, portrayed by Tenoch Huerta.
Having won the 2023 NAACP Image Awards for his portrayal of Namor in the $859 million Black Panther sequel, Huerta’s supporting role garnered a lot of appreciation from fans.
However, there is no doubt that it is intriguing to imagine what a Clint Eastwood-directed Namor the Sub-Mariner movie might have looked like in the ’80s. Eastwood’s anti-hero persona would have aligned well with the Marvel character, although the limited special effects capabilities of that era might have constrained the exploration of Namor’s undersea kingdom.
Source: Screen Rant
