The ‘Ant-Man’ movies have always had more of a comic edge to them than even some of their Marvel stablemates. But from the looks of the first trailer for ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ and this new example, the latest outing might be a little deeper and darker than the others (though to give them their credit, there has always been a strong emotional throughline).
When Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and daughter Cassie (here played by Kathryn Newton) invent a signaling device that can communicate with the Quantum Realm, things take a much darker, surreal turn.
He, Cassie, partner Hope (Evangeline Lily, back as the Wasp), Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) are sucked into the realm, a confusing, chaotic place that serves as a universe beneath our own.
(L to R) Michelle Pfieffer as Janet van Dyne and Michael Douglas as Hank Pym in Marvel Studios' 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.' Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 Marvel.
Though Scott has been here before, Janet (who, let’s not forget, was trapped for decades) knows this is a far more dangerous place than anyone truly suspected. And now she, Scott and the rest are our doorway into seeing more of it than ever before.
The big threat lurking within, of course, is Kang, a variant of the He Who Remains character (both of them played by rising star Jonathan Majors), and seemingly in charge of a sector of the realm.
A poster released the same day as the trailer bears the tagline “witness the beginning of a new dynasty” with an image of Scott, Janet and Cassie, but it’s surely not much of a coincidence that one of the upcoming giant Avengers movies is ‘Avengers: The Kang Dynasty’. Dual meaning, anyone?
Jonathan Majors as Kang The Conqueror in Marvel Studios' 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.' Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 Marvel.
Regardless, we know that Kang––or to give him his full comic book name, Kang the Conqueror––will be a major antagonist through the next phase of the MCU. And there is a lot riding on this latest outing for Scott Lang and co, since it kicks off that phase, Phase 5, for those keeping track.
In the new trailer, we find out more about how Kang and Scott interact––Kang needs his help obtaining certain items, and in return promises to give Scott some precious time back (presumably when he was trapped in the Realm when the Blip happened. But it clearly doesn’t go well for our hero…
With Peyton Reed once again directing, ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ also features the likes of Bill Murray, William Jackson Harper and Randall Park (back as Jimmy Woo), with rumors continuing to float around that the movie might see a return for Corey Stoll’s Darren Cross, the villain from the first movie. After all, with a multiverse to play with, even characters who have died can return in variant form.
Fans were recently concerned to see additional photography happening for the movie at a seeming late stage, though they appear to be minor pick-up shots filling in scenes.
The movie will head to theaters on February 17th.
(L to R) Evangeline Lilly as Hope van Dyne/Wasp and Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man in Marvel Studios' 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.' Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 Marvel.
Evangeline Lilly as Hope van Dyne/Wasp in Marvel Studios' 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.' Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 Marvel.
Michelle Pfieffer as Janet van Dyne in Marvel Studios' 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.' Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 Marvel.
(L to R) Kathryn Newton as Cassandra "Cassie" Lang and Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man in Marvel Studios' 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.' Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 Marvel.
(L to R) Kathryn Newton as Cassandra "Cassie" Lang, Jonathan Majors as Kang The Conqueror, and Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man in Marvel Studios' 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.' Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 Marvel.
Jonathan Majors as Kang The Conqueror in Marvel Studios' 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.' Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 Marvel.
'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.' © 2023 Marvel.
