There is no doubt that one of the biggest breakouts of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has been Tenoch Huerta’s Namor. The feathered serpent God has been one of the massive highlights of the sequel and fans loved Huerta as the ruler of Talocan. Although Wakanda Forever might not have received as much praise as the 2018 film, the film was highly praised for the cast and the filmmaker’s effort. Along with the production designs and incredible performances, the sound design also worked wonders in Wakanda Forever.
Director Ryan Coogler made several changes to the character of K’uk’ulkan, including his origin and the kingdom of Talocan. However, his plans were not limited to all this only. The director wanted to conjure the most intimidating persona for the Sub-Mariner.
Ryan Coogler Suggested Using Rattlesnake Sound For Namor’s Wings
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever shows Namor as the king of Talocan, an ancient underwater civilization connected to the Maya civilization of Mesoamerica. The king of the Talocan was ready to do anything to save his kingdom from the outside world.
In order to make present him as intimidated as possible, Coogler suggested using the rattling sound of a rattlesnake for Namor’s wings. And according to the sound editors that worked perfectly.
In a recent conversation with Skywalker Sound, sound editors Steve Boeddeker and Benny Burtt shared that Ryan Coogler made the suggestion two weeks before wrapping the film’s sound components. The pair explained that while they were trying to make things believable, Coogler was “always in the emotional.”
Boeddeker and Burtt recalled that at one point Black Panther director asked them, “Have you tried rattlesnakes? “He then said that it may sound like a bad idea but they should still give it a shot.
The Rattling Sound Made K’uk’ulkan Ominous and Scary
The duo shared that they considered his suggestion and did every possible combination, but the rattlesnake sound has an “ominous and scary” feel to it. They said that it was all last minute and it changed a lot for them.
“So we did. We did a combination of all of them. But the rattlesnakes were the things that made it ominous and scary. It made him dangerous sounding,” Boeddeker and Burtt shared.
This can be considered another detail the Creed director puts into his work. The sequel used two terms to describe the king of the underwater kingdom. He is referred to as K’uk’ulkan by his people and as Namor by his enemies. K’uk’ulkan is the name of a serpent deity that was worshiped by the people of Mesoamerican culture.
Why Can’t Namor Get a Solo Movie Yet?
There is no doubt that the Sub-Mariner will continue to appear in future projects of the MCU. However, one thing that many fans have been curious about is if the anti-hero will get a standalone movie. There is so much to explore about the character and the underwater kingdom, but Marvel still cannot make a Namor movie.
The studio still does not have complete rights to the character. The character can only be a part of a Marvel film, but the studio cannot produce a solo film for the character under its banner. However, there are rumors that Marvel Studios could acquire the rights for Namor in a few years.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is playing in theatres.
Source: Collider
