The upcoming sequel Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is set to kick off Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe — a choice that Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige said was done because the character had earned the right to do so.
Speaking to Empire Magazine in a recent interview, Feige discussed the decision to let Ant-Man kick off the next era of the MCU — a decision that reflects the status that Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang has earned since his initial debut.
“We wanted to kick off Phase Five with Ant-Man because he’d earned that position,” Feige said. “To not simply be the back-up or the comic relief, but to take his position at the front of the podium of the MCU. The first discussion we had was, ‘What if Ant-Man is accidentally in an Avengers movie by himself?’”
Director Peyton Reed was also on hand for the interview and said that unlike past Ant-Man films, this one won’t be centered around an insular story for the hero. Instead, this will see Scott fighting “one of the most powerful villains in Marvel history” and a force that the Avengers have never seen before.
“We’re not running around the streets of San Francisco anymore,” Reed said. “We’re fighting one of the most powerful villains in Marvel history, and maybe these are the most unlikely Avengers to be the first to go up against this guy.”
“In the film, which officially kicks off Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Super-Hero partners Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) return to continue their adventures as Ant-Man and the Wasp,” says the synopsis. “Together, with Hope’s parents Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), the family finds themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures, and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought was possible.”
The third installment in the Ant-Man series will bring permanent changes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In addition to Kang the Conqueror, it has also been confirmed that fan-favorite Marvel villain M.O.D.O.K will be making his live-action debut in the film.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is once again being directed by Peyton Reed from a screenplay written by Jeff Loveness. It is slated for release on February 17, 2023.