While they may not have been as lauded by fans as the Iron Man or Captain America films, Marvel‘s Ant-Man series of films has certainly got its fan base! Disney and Marvel recently released quite a bit of new information for the franchise’s third chapter following the first self-titled Ant-Man and its sequel Ant-Man And The Wasp. This time around, we’ve got an even further expanded title, an all-new villain that will likely be making big waves in the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the rise of a familiar hero from the comics who has been around in these movies for a while already!
Disney is thinking big while going small with the next Ant-Man film, which has been officially titled Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania. The title was recently announced by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige during the Disney Investors Day presentation, along with some other information that Marvel fans are sure to find quite interesting!
For starters, Feige confirmed that director Peyton Reed is back behind the camera for this third outing with our favorite size-adjustable heroes. The gang all seem to be here with Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, and Michele Pfeiffer all confirmed as returning to their roles from the previous films. While they were not officially announced, many find it safe to assume that Michael Peña, T.I., and David Dastmalchian will be returning as Scott Lang’s trio of former-criminals-turned-security-expert best friends.
One major change that Feige announced was the second recasting of Cassie Lang, Ant-Man Scott Lang’s daughter. In the first two Ant-Man films, she was played by Abby Ryder Fortson. After the five-year time jump in Avengers: Endgame, the character was recast with an older actress, Emma Fuhrmann (Blended), taking on the role of a teenage Cassie Lang. Now Kevin Feige confirmed that Kathryn Newton (Freaky) has been re-cast as a teenage Cassie Lang. No reason was given for this casting change, but it is likely due to big (literally) plans for Cassie in the future of the MCU. In Marvel’s comic book continuity, Cassie Lang follows in her father’s footsteps and becomes a superhero in her own right as the teen hero Stature. Stature’s abilities line up with her father’s growth capabilities, other than his shrinking as Cassie can grow to be around 40-ft tall.
Stature is a member of the Young Avengers team in the comics, which looks to be a major event that Marvel Studios is building towards by introducing several other team members across various other projects including Kate Bishop’s Hawkeye in the Hawkeye Disney+ series and America Chavez in Doctor Strange: In The Multiverse Of Madness. The twins Billy ‘Wiccan’ Kaplan and Tommy ‘Speed’ Shepherd are rumored to be appearing in the Disney+ series Wandavision as early as next January, and it isn’t a major stretch to see Teddy Altman (aka Hulkling) popping up in the near future due to his ties to the recently introduced shapeshifting Skrulls. While a Young Avengers project has yet to be confirmed, Marvel is clearly laying their stepping stones for the next generation of heroes in the MCU.
Speaking of the future of the MCU, quite possibly the biggest reveal was that Jonathan Majors (Lovecraft Country) has been cast as the film’s antagonist, Kang The Conqueror. In the comics, Kang is a time traveler from the 30th-century and is certainly an Avengers-level threat as one of the biggest villains the Marvel universe may have to offer. It is an absolutely huge deal for him to make his debut in the MCU, potentially taking over from Thanos as the next major overarching villain for Phase 4 and potentially beyond.
As of now, plot details for Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania have been kept quiet. Based purely on the title it’s safe to say that the Quantum Realm we saw in the last two Ant-Man films and in Avengers: Endgame will play a big part in the story, but that’s probably the only thing we can safely assume.
Actress Michelle Pfeiffer has stated that Marvel Studios is hoping to start filming Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania in the spring of 2021. Disney and Marvel have not yet confirmed a release date for the film, but it is expected to be released in the very crowded 2022 alongside Doctor Strange: In The Multiverse Of Madness, Thor: Love And Thunder, Black Panther 2, Captain Marvel 2, and the Blade reboot.
Are you excited for Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania? Where do you think they will be taking the story next, and what will it mean for the larger Marvel Multiverse? Let us know in the comments section below and be sure to stick around Geek Anything for all of the latest Marvel news!
