One of the fun things about new Marvel movie releases is occasionally remembering that the people making these movies are fans, too. Sure, they are actors getting paid to wear elaborate costumes and save the world in front of green screens but, sometimes even they seem genuinely amazed by the whole thing. Apparently, Paul Rudd is no exception, as he admits seeing Chris Hemsworth wandering around as Thor on set is very cool.

Rudd recently spoke with Variety while promoting his Tribeca film Rain Reign, and the Ant-Man actor reflected on returning for the 2026 movie schedule release of Avengers: Doomsday. To that end, Rudd also discussed how it felt seeing so many familiar Marvel Cinematic Universe alums reuniting. Asked specifically what it was like getting the gang back together, he admitted that even after all these years, the experience still has not lost its novelty. As he explained:

Honestly, not just kids, how about grown men who’ve grown up on the MCU? I think I’d freak out! Because let's be real, the sprawling franchise has been around going on twenty years, and a lot of the folks who still turn out for new superhero movies have been going to see the flicks in theaters since they were very young. So, if somebody told me Chris Hemsworth was casually strolling past craft services dressed as Thor, I would probably react with the maturity of a 9-year-old.

What I love about Rudd's comments is that they cut through all the cynicism that sometimes surrounds giant IP franchises. After more than 15 years in the MCU, it would be understandable if the experience had become routine. Instead, the Clueless star sounds like somebody who still appreciates the weirdness of it all.

Maybe that's part of why Marvel has managed to work for so long. A lot of these actors genuinely seem to enjoy one another's company. Rudd specifically talked about reconnecting with performers he has worked with multiple times over the years, which makes sense considering how interconnected these movies have become.

For Rudd, that journey started with Ant-Man back in 2015. Since then, he has appeared alongside everyone from Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans to Mark Ruffalo and Hemsworth. Somewhere along the way, a comedy actor best known for Anchorman and The 40-Year-Old Virgin became one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.

With Avengers: Doomsday on the horizon, bringing back familiar faces like the Fox-era X-Men from across more than two decades of comic book movies while also introducing new ones, it sounds like the behind-the-scenes atmosphere still has some of that old MCU magic. Apparently, no amount of Marvel experience can fully prepare you for casually running into the God of Thunder in the hallway.

Paul Rudd returns in the next Avengers team-up, Doomsday, this Christmas season on December 18, 2026. In the meantime, stream Rudd's appearances in the MCU movies by streaming them with a Disney+ subscription.

Paul Rudd has been part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for more than a decade now, with his character, Scott Lang, having debuted in Ant-Man back in 2015. Since then, Lang has gone from ex-con trying to reconnect with his daughter to full-blown Avenger, quantum realm survivor and one of the few heroes who can say he helped undo Thanos’ snap. Now, as Avengers: Doomsday approaches, Kevin Feige’s latest description of Ant-Man makes it pretty clear that some of the MCU’s fan-favorite heroes are entering a new age bracket.

In a new profile of Paul Rudd, The Hollywood Reporter quoted Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige, as he described where Scott Lang fits into the massive upcoming superhero movie ensemble headed for the 2026 movie schedule. According to Feige:

For longtime Marvel fans, that comment might feel like finding your very first gray hair. Ant-Man -- the goofy guy who once got fired from Baskin-Robbins -- and the dad who accidentally became one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, is now one of the older guys in the room.

It makes sense, even if it stings a little. Scott Lang has been around since Phase Two, and he has already crossed paths with Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange the Guardians-adjacent cosmic weirdness of the quantum realm and Kang. While Rudd looks like he never ages, his character has seen enough world-ending nonsense to earn a folding chair at the veteran heroes’ table.

That “elder statesman” label says a lot about where Avengers: Doomsday may be heading. The movie is expected to bring together multiple corners of Marvel’s current and past screen universe, with the first trailer and teasers hinting at returning MCU characters, new heroes and legacy names from the Fox-era X-Men films. Robert Downey Jr. is also returning to Marvel, though this time as the big bad, Doctor Doom, rather than Tony Stark.

Scott Lang may be getting older, but he could still serve as a connective piece between the older MCU and the newer lineup. That role fits him better than it might seem. Scott was never the team’s main strategist or strongest fighter, but he has always been one of Marvel’s most human heroes. He is a dad first, a thief second and an Avenger somewhere after “guy who really needs this plan explained twice.”

If you’re someone who’s seen all the Marvel movies in order, you know Ant-Man was introduced as the scrappy outsider looking up at icons like Steve Rogers and Tony Stark. Now, he may be the one standing across from younger heroes with the battle scars and war stories. And hey, I kind of dig that.

The funny thing about Marvel’s shared universe is that it has now been around long enough for its comic book problem to become a movie problem. These characters do not stay frozen in amber—actors age. Storylines pile up. New heroes enter. Older heroes either leave, die or retire.

For Rudd, that is especially amusing because, as I mentioned, so much of his public image has been built around the joke that he does not age. The new profile even digs into that long-running perception while Rudd jokes that he is “a withering 80-year-old man on the inside.”

Still, Feige’s description gives Doomsday an interesting emotional angle. This does not sound like Scott Lang being treated as comic relief. It sounds like Marvel understands he has history now, and he is ripe for the mentor role. The guy who once felt like the least likely Avenger may now be responsible for helping the new kids survive the next impossible fight.

Check out Ant-Man's return in Avengers: Doomsday, hitting theaters on December 18, 2026. Until then, fans can revisit his past appearances by streaming all the MCU entries with a Disney+ subscription.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is known for constantly expanding, with the release of new content in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Arguably, the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movie is Avengers: Doomsday, with fans curious about what The Russo Brothers have up their sleeves. Doomsday debuted new footage at CinemaCon, including the reveal that Kathryn Newton would appear as Cassie Lang. And while she wasn't included in the Doomsday cast announcement, the studio made it up to her in a hilarious way.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday has been super limited, with Marvel's tight security helping to guard its secrets. The cast announcement featured various actors' names on set chairs, but Newton didn't get one. That's changed, as we saw in a recent post from her Instagram page. Check it out:

I mean, how cute is that? While Kathryn Newton finally got her own Doomsday cast chair, it came with an Ant-Man twist. Namely, that it has seemingly been exposed to Pym Particles and shrunken down. It's a thoroughly adorable way to include the Ready or Not 2 actress, who was noticeably missing from the cast announcement.

After the chairs-focused live stream arrived online back in March of 2025, Kevin Feige confirmed that even more actors would be included in the movie. This was proven when the Captain America teaser revealed Chris Evans was returning to his signature role. And now we know that Scott Lang's daughter will also somehow get into the action of the upcoming blockbuster.

Kathryn Newton debuted as Cassie in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, with Scott's daughter now older and even having a shrinking suit of her own. She got to get into the action of that threequel, and now she is basically a superhero herself. It should be fascinating to see how she gets involved in the multiversal action of Doomsday, and if she ends up coming face-to-face with Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom.

For a few years now, fans have been hoping to see the Young Avengers assembled in the MCU, with Cassie Lang included. The Marvels' credits scene teased that Kamala Khan would be forming that group, but there hasn't been much news since. Maybe Newton's role in the next Avengers movie will help move that story forward.

All will be revealed when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list. With its release rapidly approaching, hopefully, we will get a full trailer for the highly anticipated title soon.

It’s been nearly twelve years since Edgar Wright walked away from Ant-Man and, for some fans, that still stings. The Baby Driver director was once set to bring his signature style to one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, only to part ways with Marvel Studios in 2014 over, you guessed it, creative differences. While Peyton Reed ultimately took the helm and delivered a hit, Wright's version remains one of the great “what-ifs” of superhero cinema. But could the director helm another new superhero movie? Well, someone asked him.

I've wondered if Wright might be open to tackling more superhero-based fare. So I was delighted when, during an interview with The Playlist, Wright finally addressed whether he’d ever return to the genre. The filmmaker -- who was there to discuss his 2025 movie release The Running Man -- delivered an answer that was about as dry as you'd expect. While he doesn’t slam superhero movies outright, it’s clear he’s not itching to put on the cape and cowl anytime soon. If you were holding out hope for him to lead an X-Men or Fantastic Four, well, brace yourself:

That creative mismatch seems to have steered Wright clear of the new Marvel movie machine and the genre altogether, at least for now. He added:

It’s a revealing comment from a director who’s built his career by zigging where others zag. From Hot Fuzz to Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and even the slick, stylish chaos of Baby Driver, the best-ranked titles of Wright’s filmography have thrived on genre subversion, but always on his own terms.

That same instinct nearly led to a choose-your-own-adventure cut of Shaun of the Dead, he revealed in the same interview. While that version never happened, the idea of letting the story splinter into different paths based on one decision perfectly captures the way Wright thinks about narrative structure. It’s playful, risky, and, yeah, kind of bonkers. And, if (and that’s a big if) he ever decided to bring that energy to a Marvel film or a new DCU movie project, let’s hope the studio would give him the creative room to make it unmistakably his.

So, no, Edgar Wright won’t be lining up to direct the next Fantastic Four film or surprise-announcing a Batman Beyond flick. However, if you're looking for bold genre storytelling with an offbeat twist, you’ll still find him right where he belongs, and that is blazing his own path.

His next movie, the book-to-screen adaptation of Stephen King's classic The Running Man, opens in theaters on November 14.

Speaking as a fan of superhero movies, I actually tend to prefer the source material in most cases. However, if there is one thing I believe most films (and a few TV shows) have handled better than the comics, it is making the heroes and villains look pretty good. The following are some essential examples of comic book characters whose screen iterations had better costume designs.

Batman (Batman Begins)

I believe the nighttime attire worn by Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne in 2005's Batman Begins outshines what the comics had delivered up to that point, not just in the aesthetic sense. I also love this Batsuit for its practicality and ingenuity, boasting features that include a fully bulletproof top to cover his entire torso and a cape that turns into wings when an electric current is run through it.

Captain America (Captain America: The First Avenger)

Steve Rogers' original costume from Marvel Comics is a bit hokey, with its winged helmet and feathery finish, but the outfit worn by Chris Evans' MCU iteration had a bit of an uneven history before its preferred final form. In his debut in Captain America: The First Avenger, he bears the stars and stripes on a tactical suit that thankfully made a comeback in the third act of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, following his ridiculous uniform from The Avengers.

Wonder Woman (Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice)

Instead of a patriotic leotard (which, given her Themiscyrian ancestry, does not make sense), Gal Gadot's Diana Prince fights in Amazonian battle armor. It also bears a bird-shaped emblem at the top, instead of a "WW," which also would have been nonsense to include, considering she never actually gives herself the name "Wonder Woman" in the DC Extended Universe.

Ant-Man (Ant-Man)

In 2015's Ant-Man, when Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) first sees the suit and helmet that he would soon use to shrink to microscopic size, he points out that it looks like a motorcycle outfit. Indeed, it does, which alone makes it an improvement over the tight jumpsuit with a partially opened, antannaed helmet that Hank Pym wears in the comics.

Robin (Batman & Robin)

I am not a fan of the impractical, anatomically correct full rubber suits that plagued the live-action Batman movies of the '80s and '90s. However, I am thankful that Batman & Robin's grown-up version of the Boy Wonder (played by Chris O'Donnell) is not just wearing a leotard. I even admire the decision to replace the green and yellow in his color scheme with black for added stealth, like his older companion... not that stealth is ever really a necessity for these iterations of the Caped Crusaders anyway.

Iron Man (Iron Man)

I would say it is no wonder that more recent comic books show Tony Stark wearing Iron Man armor that better resembles the sleek design created for Robert Downey Jr.'s MCU iteration, instead of the bulkier original suit.

Superman (Man Of Steel)

I am still convinced that the all-time best Superman costume created for live-action media was worn by Henry Cavill in 2013's Man of Steel. In fact, I think Clark Kent's red and blues from the DC Extended Universe outshine that of any of his comic book iterations, and for one reason in particular: I have never been a fan of his red trunks, and I am happy to see that feature omitted here.

Black Panther (Captain America: Civil War)

In his first appearance in Marvel Comics, T'Challa's warrior outfit was merely a skin-tight jumpsuit with a cape. Chadwick Boseman's MCU iteration of Black Panther ditches the cape, thankfully, and gives him some tangible armor, complemented beautifully by the pointed charms placed between his neck and shoulders.

Hawkeye (The Avengers)

I would say it was the right call for Jeremy Renner's Clint Barton to lose the helmet that Hawkeye wears in the comics, as I doubt it would have translated well to live-action cinema. At least, the suit he wears in 2012's The Avengers and subsequent MCU installments retains some of the purple from his original color scheme.

Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man (Spider-Man)

Author Sean O'Connell's book, With Great Power: How Spider-Man Conquered Hollywood During the Golden Age of Comic Book Blockbusters, actually quotes my description of what, arguably, makes Tobey Maguire's suit from Sam Raimi's trilogy the best live-action Spider-Man costume. The early 2000s era Peter Parker looked best for his outfit's anatomically correct spider emblems on the front and back, striking platinum webbing, and some mean-looking eyes.

Falcon (Captain America: The Winter Soldier)

It was easier for fans to take Anthony Mackie's portrayal of Sam "Falcon" Wilson seriously than his comic book counterpart due to the drastic changes to his uniform. Removing his red and white V-neck jumpsuit with attached, foldout wings in favor of a tactical outfit and mechanical, retractable flight gear was the right call.

Scarlet Witch (WandaVision)

We caught a glimpse of what Scarlet Witch's original design would look like if adapted for live action in WandaVision when Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) wore an exaggerated headpiece, red leotard, and cape for Halloween. This would help viewers better appreciate the outfit she settles on at the end of the series, which is more grounded but also better represents her unparalleled power as a sorcerer.

Vulture (Spider-Man: Homecoming)

There are many reasons why Michael Keaton's Adrian "The Vulture" Toomes from Spider-Man: Homecoming is considered one of the all-time best Spider-Man movie villains, including his costume. Giving the experimental weapons dealer more practical wings, powered by propellers, helps ground the character better than his design in the comics, which is just an old dude in homemade feathered wings.

Thor (Thor)

Like many other Marvel Comics heroes of his time, Thor was originally depicted as wearing a tight, sleeveless jumpsuit, in addition to his signature winged metal helmet. I would say Chris Hemsworth's God of Thunder boasts a decent-looking helmet at the beginning of his 2011 MCU debut, but I am especially glad his outfit actually includes armor that also covers his arms in a sleek fashion.

Star-Lord (Guardians Of The Galaxy)

Chris Pratt's Peter Quill simply looks so much cooler in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy, rocking a red leather duster and protective face mask, as opposed to a uniform that looks exactly like what the Nova Corps wears in the comics.

Doctor Strange (Doctor Strange)

Instead of tights and a tunic, putting Benedict Cumberbatch's Dr. Stephen Strange from 2016's Doctor Strange in a monk-like robe with the Cloak of Levitation made it easier to take the role seriously in the MCU.

Shazam (Shazam!)

You could argue that the costume worn by Zachary Levi's Billy Batson is a bit cartoonish, but that fits perfectly with the more breezy, comical tone of 2019's Shazam! The biggest selling point for me, however, is the constantly glowing lightning emblem, which is just a brilliant touch.

Two-Face (The Dark Knight)

Previous iterations of Harvey "Two-Face" Dent see half of his face become a bizarre, discolored monstrosity, inspiring him to wear custom-made, dual-colored suits. For Aaron Eckhart's version from 2008's The Dark Knight, the damaged side of his face resembles a more authentic result of a burning incident, and his suit's "evil half" is simply charred from the same event, grounding his appearance and, therefore, making the Batman villain even more unsettling.

Mr. Furious (Mystery Men)

I can't imagine seeing Ben Stiller's version of Mr. Furious in the same red and black jumpsuit the raging vigilante wears in Dark Horse's Flaming Carrot comics. However, putting him in a flame-embroidered black leather duster in 1998's Mystery Men works so well.

Nick Fury (The Avengers)

Can you even begin to imagine Samuel L. Jackson wearing Nick Fury's stealth suit from the comics instead of the black leather jacket he wears in The Avengers? Not even David Hasselhoff dressed like that for his pre-MCU portrayal of the character in the made-for-TV movie, Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.

The Fantastic Four (2005's Fantastic Four)

I think the cast of the MCU's The Fantastic Four: First Steps looks great in their outfits, which call to mind the characters' original comic book appearances in the 1960s. However, I personally prefer the darker and more minimalistic approach in the otherwise widely despised adaptation from 2005.

M'Baku (Black Panther)

I cannot help but assume that Winston Duke's M'Baku would have looked simply ridiculous wearing a white gorilla's whole face around his head in 2018's Black Panther. However, settling for a decorative mask and a few touches of fur suit the portrayal perfectly.

Nebula (Guardians Of The Galaxy)

Originally, in the comics, Nebula was not a cyborg, but just another, otherwise fierce, blue woman with long hair like Gamora and a traditionally feminine uniform. Making Karen Gillan's iteration from Guardians of the Galaxy a victim of mechanical alterations not only improves her look, but also adds some absorbing complexity to her story.

Loki (Thor)

For 2011's Thor, it was right to get Loki out of his tight, green jumpsuit from the comics and into a more earnestly crafted outfit fit for a god, especially when played by an actor like Tom Hiddleston.

Black Spider-Man Suit (Spider-Man 3)

I realize that the Black Spidersuit from 2007's Spider-Man 3, the result of the alien Symbiote bonding with Peter Parker's red and blues, is, essentially, nothing more than a monochromatic redesign of Tobey Maguire's original suit. However, when considering how iconic that costume already was (and remains), the simple recoloring makes it pop in the same way that printing a photo in black and white tends to improve the image.

Mr. Freeze (Batman & Robin)

I don't think there is a single person who would deny that the way 1997's Batman & Robin depicts the "coldhearted" Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is egregiously over-the-top. However, I cannot deny that I believe the design of his costume, handcrafted from aircraft-grade aluminum and thousands of blue LED lights, is epic, especially when compared to the colorful jumpsuit and glass bulb helmet he was given when the comics still called him "Mr. Zero."

Charlie Cox's Daredevil (Daredevil)

The early 2000s take on non-seeing attorney Matt Murdock's vengeful vigilante alter ego (played by Ben Affleck) tried to improve on the comics' red, skintight spandex jumpsuit by replacing it with red, skintight leather. The acclaimed MCU canon series Daredevil put star Charlie Cox in a Kevlar suit with a protective helmet that combines a subtle shade of burgundy with accents of black, resulting in a suit that wins over the originals in terms of both style and function.

Pepper "Rescue" Potts (Avengers: Endgame)

In 2010, Pepper Potts took on an armored vigilante alter ego known as Rescue, whose suit was, essentially, a feminized rework of Tony Stark's Iron Man armor, color scheme, and all. When Gwyneth Paltrow brought Rescue into the MCU in Avengers: Endgame, the appearance changed things up a bit by making purple the main color of her armor.

Moon Knight (Moon Knight)

Honestly, just about all comic book iterations of Moon Knight have looked pretty cool, but Oscar Isaac's Marc Spector from the Disney+ original series, Moon Knight, boasts an outfit that is more comparatively authentic to a genuine Egyptian warrior. Not to mention, giving him actual glowing white eyes makes him infinitely more intimidating.

Yondu (Guardians Of The Galaxy)

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 from 2017 pays tribute to the comic book iteration of Yondu by having Michael Rooker wear a punk rock mohawk-style fin on his head, which is certainly fun to see. However, I'm glad James Gunn refrained from bringing back the character's very revealing original outfit, which is basically two straps to cover his nipples and a skirt.

The Eternals (Eternals)

With all due respect to the late, great Jack Kirby, his original designs for the immortal Marvel heroes known as the Eternals are pretty generic. However, their outfits from Oscar-winning director Chloé Zhao's 2021 movie are far sleeker and more grounded, with additional details that help them stand out from other MCU characters.

Valkyrie (Thor: Ragnarok)

Tessa Thompson's Valkyrie trades in a typical, suggestive armored leotard for awesome-looking full-body warrior garb in 2017's Thor: Ragnarok.

The movies have always had a way of making the life of an outlaw look fun. The secret is as easy as defying tradition by making the “bad guy” the protagonist of the story, or even taking innocents out of the equation completely. These classic films will force you to reconsider your moral standards.

The Godfather (1972)

In addition to being one of the best films about the "family business," Francis Ford Coppola's Best Picture Oscar-winning adaptation of Mario Puzo's The Godfather is a genuine family story all the way to its core, albeit a violent one. It follows Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), who is motivated by the attempted murder of his mob boss father, Don Vito (Marlon Brando), to take matters into his own hands, leading him down a path to become one of the most feared leaders in the world of organized crime.

Psycho (1960)

The true antagonist of Alfred Hitchcock's seminal horror movie classic, Psycho, is unquestionably Anthony Perkins' Norman Bates. However, what leads Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) to make a fateful stop at the Bates Motel is her decision to go on the run with stolen money.

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)

The title character of The Talented Mr. Ripley, Anthony Minghella's acclaimed adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's 1955 novel, is a conniving con artist. However, much like most of the people Matt Damon's Tom Ripley encounters, it is hard not to fall for his charms.

Pulp Fiction (1994)

There really are not any "good guys" in Pulp Fiction, or in most of Quentin Tarantino's movies, for that matter. However, there are certainly some characters in the dazzling crime thriller that audiences have more affection for than others, especially Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson), who have to be the two most down-to-earth mob hitmen in pop culture history.

Batman Begins (2005)

I have never admired a character in my life more than DC Comics' Dark Knight, but even I will be the first to call out Bruce Wayne for who he really is: a vigilante, which makes his crusade for justice in Gotham illegal. One of the few live-action Batman movies to address this moral gray area is Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins, in which James Gordon (Gary Oldman) is the only cop willing to support the Caped Crusader (played by Christian Bale), but even he has his doubts.

Goodfellas (1990)

The flashbacks to Henry Hill's youth at the beginning of Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas establish a life in the mafia as a childhood aspiration for him. Thus, you almost cannot help but feel proud of Ray Liotta's character as he rises up in the ranks of the criminal underworld and disappointed when the law knocks him down a peg.

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

Director Sidney Lumet's Dog Day Afternoon is a crime thriller based on an incredible true story starring Al Pacino as an amateur crook whose simple bank robbery plans evolve into a challenging hostage situation. Just like John Wojtowicz, the real person who inspired the film's main character, Sonny Wortzik, his only reason for committing the crime is to afford his lover's transgender operation, which I can empathize with.

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Steven Spielberg's acclaimed 2000s-era movie, Catch Me If You Can, is based on the alleged true story of Frank Abagnale Jr., who passed himself off as an expert in multiple fields while living off fraudulent checks while he was barely beyond his teenage years. The casting of Leonardo DiCaprio as the clever crook immediately earns our sympathies, putting Tom Hanks in the rare position of playing the default antagonist as Carl Hanratty, an FBI agent trailing Frank.

Heat (1995)

Michael Mann's powerful thriller, Heat, is defined by its moral ambiguity, portraying the story of a group of professional bank robbers tailed by the LAPD from both sides of the law. By the end, it is hard not to feel bad for expert thief Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) when he is finally cornered by Lieutenant Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino).

Ocean's Eleven (2001)

George Clooney's recently released convict Daniel Ocean rounds up a gang of 10 other professionals to rob three Las Vegas casinos at once in director Steven Soderbergh's remake of Ocean's Eleven. The acclaimed heist flick makes it easy for the audience to side with these thieves, not just by making them all funny and likable, but also by making their target, Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia), quite despicable.

Inception (2010)

Amid its ingenious concept (taking place in a world where dreams can be experienced on demand with revolutionary technology) and breathtaking visuals, it is often easy to forget that Christopher Nolan's Inception is, essentially, a heist movie. Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his crew specialize in stealing valuable information from unsuspecting targets directly from their minds (or planting an idea in their heads) by kidnapping them and infiltrating their subconscious, which is a terrifying thought.

Escape From New York (1981)

When we first meet war veteran Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) in John Carpenter's Escape from New York, he has already been sentenced to the penal colony that used to be Manhattan for robbing the Bank of the Federal Reserve. This convinces the United States Police Force that he is the perfect choice to infiltrate the urban dystopian nightmare to rescue the president (played by Donald Pleasence) in exchange for his freedom.

Nightcrawler (2014)

I once saw an interview with Jake Gyllenhaal and Nightcrawler's writer and director, Dan Gilroy, in which they describe the film as "a success story." While Gyllenhaal's aspiring independent news videographer, Louis Bloom, is not afraid to put his ethics on the back burner and flat out break the law to get the juiciest and bloodiest scoops possible, I cannot help but agree.

John Wick (2014)

The world seems to love professional assassins (fictional ones, at least), and few are more lovable than Keanu Reeves' title "hero" from the revenge movie favorite, John Wick, and its sequels. Of course, who wouldn't empathize with a recently widowed man whose new dog was murdered in cold blood by a crew of young punks who also stole his car?

Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014)

One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's most unexpected hits is the story of a group of unlikely heroes who come to be known as the Guardians of the Galaxy. James Gunn's hilarious, heartfelt, and action-packed breath of fresh air stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldaña, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, and Bradley Cooper as a group of cosmic outlaws who flee prison together and manage to redeem themselves by risking their lives to take down an oppressive tyrant (played by Lee Pace).

The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)

Based on the memoir by Jordan Belfort, director Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street should be seen as nothing more than a cautionary tale. However, Leonardo DiCaprio's charming, Oscar-nominated performance as the stockbroker-turned-motivational speaker almost makes you want to see him succeed despite his despicable habits and corrupt aspirations.

Kill Bill (2003-2004)

In Quentin Tarantino's two-part action saga, Kill Bill, Uma Thurman's The Bride wanted to put her reputation as the deadliest woman in the world behind her when she got pregnant and decided to settle down. Unfortunately, her former employer, Bill (David Carradine), and colleagues from the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad put her in a coma and, seemingly, murdered her unborn daughter, which makes her "roaring rampage of revenge" feel justified.

Looper (2012)

Rian Johnson's inventive, sci-fi twist on the film noir movie genre, Looper, takes place in the future, but still mere decades before time travel has been invented. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as Joe, who is hired to kill and dispose of people sent back to his time by the mob, but his career trajectory changes when his latest target turns out to be his older self (played by Bruce Willis).

Joker (2019)

It might be a bit of a stretch to call Todd Phillips' Joker a film that coerces you into rooting for its unlawful protagonist, because I have absolutely no sympathy for any of the terrifying acts that Arthur Fleck commits. Then again, with much credit to Joaquin Phoenix's devastating, Oscar-winning performance, it is hard not to feel bad for the man, given his harsh life circumstances and struggles with mental health, even if he is destined to cause Gotham City a lot of pain someday.

Don't Breathe (2016)

At the start of Fede Alvarez's intense thriller Don't Breathe, you are not sure who to root for, as our protagonists (played by Jane Levy, Dylan Minette, and Daniel Zovatto) are seen breaking into the home of a non-seeing war veteran (played by Stephen Lang), intending to steal from him. However, it becomes easy to fear for these thieves when the owner of the house begins to violently retaliate and more terrifying secrets about him come to light.

Road To Perdition (2002)

Director Sam Mendes' adaptation of the acclaimed graphic novel, Road to Perdition, stars Tom Hanks as a mob enforcer who must protect his young son (played by Tyler Hoechlin) after he witnesses a murder in 1930s Illinois.

Ant-Man (2015)

Instead of the original Ant-Man, Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), the Marvel Cinematic Universe made formerly incarcerated felon Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) the star of its adaptation of the Marvel comic. After his criminal record costs him his Baskin-Robbins job, he is drawn back into crime and steals what turns out to be a special shrink suit, which is how he gets roped into the most important burglary of his life by Dr. Pym.

Sin City (2005)

I like to think of Det. John Hartigan (Bruce Willis) is the main hero of Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller's Sin City, but Mickey Rourke nearly steals the show in a segment called "The Hard Goodbye." The story follows Marv, an ex-convict who returns to his violent ways to duke out some vigilante justice and avenge the murder of a woman who suddenly died after spending a night with him.

Dead Presidents (1995)

Dead Presidents is a must-watch '90s movie centered on a Black character, namely Larenz Tate as Anthony Curtis, who is a Vietnam vet forced to turn to crime to support his family.

Public Enemies (2010)

Casting Johnny Depp, who was one of the most bankable and beloved movie stars in Hollywood in the late 2000s, as John Dillinger in Michael Mann's Public Enemies was a stroke of genius to get the audience immediately on the side of the notorious bank robber.

Hard Candy (2005)

In Hard Candy, Elliot Page plays a teenager named Hayley who is seemingly lured into a trap by a child predator named Jeff (Patrick Wilson). However, we, and Jeff, come to discover that he is really Hayley's prey when he is subjected to the teenager's torturous acts.

Dom Hemingway (2013)

Jude Law stars in writer and director Richard Shepard's Dom Hemingway in the title role of a former safecracker who is released from a years-long prison sentence and returns to London looking to collect what he believes he is owed.

Cruella (2021)

Who knew that Disney could make audiences empathize with an attempted puppy murderer? Indeed, they achieve this with Cruella by casting Academy Award winner Emma Stone in the title role, who is portrayed as a tragic figure forced to become a pickpocket as a child after her mother's sudden murder.

Take The Money And Run (1969)

Co-writer and director Woody Allen stars in the mockumentary Take the Money and Run as Virgil Starkwell, who is so inept, yet so affable, that you cannot help but hope to see him make a killing as a bank robber.

Trap (2024)

Josh Hartnett leads M. Night Shyamalan's Trap as Cooper, a father who takes his teenage daughter to a concert, which he discovers is being used as an elaborate plan to catch a notorious serial killer. This turns out to be a great concern for Cooper because this criminal, known as "The Butcher," is none other than him.

Burglar (1987)

Whoopi Goldberg stars in Burglar as Bernice, a non-violent thief who wrongfully becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation when her latest target, the ex-husband of a dentist who just wants her jewelry back, suddenly turns up dead.

Now You See Me (2013)

The main characters of Now You See Me (played by Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, and Dave Franco) are a team of magicians who use their skills in illusion to pull off heists and pass off their loot to people in need, like Robin Hood with a few extra tricks up their sleeves.

It seems like not everybody is quite as big a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as they once were. It has to be said, though, that, at its best, the Marvel Cinematic Universe made some great movies and, in doing so, assembled possibly the greatest cast in movie history. We still get excited when we get to see our favorite actors again, but one of the franchise’s biggest names may not be appearing again.

Michael Douglas has one of the most storied and accomplished careers in Hollywood, so when he joined the MCU as Dr. Hank Pym in Ant-Man, it was a big deal. Douglas would reprise his role in other Marvel movies, most recently Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, but it sounds like we probably won’t see him again. He recently told Today that, while he’s not technically retired, he’s largely done acting. Douglas said…

This is unfortunate, as it certainly sounds like we won’t be seeing Hank Pym again. While that’s not a fatal blow to the MCU by any stretch, there certainly would have been fun ways the franchise could have used him if he wanted to keep appearing. Considering that the de-aging of Michael Douglas in the first Ant-Man is one of the most successful uses of that technology, he could have appeared in lots of different ways.

Of course, the fact that Douglas himself suggested killing off his character in the last movie strongly indicates he's not that interested in returning.

The third Ant-Man movie was one of Douglas’ last projects, alongside the Apple TV+ series Franklin. He had perhaps his most significant role in all of the MCU in that film, and while the movie itself was not warmly received, nobody argued that Michael Douglas was the problem.

Of course, considering that Quantumania wasn’t a massive hit, it’s an open question whether or not there will even be more Ant-Man movies. Even if there aren’t, there are plenty of reasons Hank Pym could have shown up in upcoming Marvel movies, but it doesn’t sound like that’s likely anymore.

Douglas doesn’t specify what would qualify as “special,” so maybe it’s possible he could still return to the MCU, but it seems unlikely he would consider a supporting part in another upcoming superhero movie to be sufficient to go back to work if he’s mostly happy not working. Still, who knows? Maybe the paycheck would be special enough to make it worth it.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is showing no signs of slowing down, with new content arriving in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order will remember a popular theory that Ant-Man could kill Thanos by entering his butt and growing. And Paul Rudd trying to explain this to his Death of a Unicorn co-star Jenna Ortega is seriously delightful.

While fans have countless questions about upcoming Marvel movies like the next two Avengers flicks, there are current fan theories about past project that are still circulating online. While speaking with ComicBook about his new movie, Rudd was asked if the Thanos butt strategy could work on Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom in the next Avengers flicks. He mused on the subject, saying:

He's not wrong. Ant-Man was noticeably missing from Avengers: Infinity War, where he was shown assembling the Infinity Stones. And while he was killed in the opening sequence of Endgame, the Time Heist brought him back and once again saw him wielding the Stones. So Ant-Man trying to kill the Mad Titan via the Thanus theory might have resulted in certain death for Rudd's hero.

During this interview Paul Rudd tried to catch Jenna Ortega up on the theory involving his hero and Thanos, offering:

• Rudd: Do you know what we’re talking about? There was a theory — going against Thanos, why didn’t Ant-Man just … instead of Thanos, it was ‘Thanus,’ go up Thanos and then expand.
• Ortega: I thought he was already big … the purple one?
• Rudd: I get really small.
• Ortega: Oh, that’s right, you’re called Ant-Man!

It looks like the star of Wednesday (which is streaming with a Netflix subscription) isn't caught up on the MCU. Ortega recently reminisced about her tiny role in Iron Man 2 as a child actress, but it doesn't sound like she's kept up with the shared universe since.

Fans of the MCU have been wondering about what comes next for Paul Rudd's Ant-Man for a while now. After the threequel Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania failed to perform at the box office, its been unclear if he'll be getting another solo movie. Alternatively he could just appear in big crossover projects.

Moviegoers assume that Ant-Man and the rest of Earth's Mightiest Heroes will return for Avengers: Doomsday or Secret Wars. These projects are currently in development, with The Russo Brothers returning to the MCU for the occasion. But news on those projects is very limited, as they're not even in the 2025 movie release list.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always keeping fans on their toes, thanks to content being released in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Said fandom is always looking forward to the upcoming Marvel movies, and that's certainly the case when it comes to The Russo Brothers' Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. Paul Rudd recently played coy when asked if he was appearing as Ant-Man, and he's much better at this than Tom Holland.

Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order will know that Holland has been known for revealing spoilers. Of course, he's not alone; Mark Ruffalo literally spoiled the end of Infinity War. Rudd is seemingly smarter than this, and he played it cool when asked by Collider about his possible appearance in the next two Avengers flicks. In his words:

There you have. Paul Rudd doesn't not sound like he's hiding something, but he was also careful to not actually reveal anything. Instead, he seems down to play Scott Lang in whatever story the Russos are planning. And considering their work together in Endgame, there's seemingly already trust there.

Not much is known about what the Russo Brothers are cooking up with the next two Avengers movies, but they're expected to be massive, multiversal stories. And since there have been some box office bombs like The Marvels, the pressure is on for these crossover events to revive fan interest in the shared universe as a whole.

Luckily, there are already a number of major factors going for these titles already. To start, Robert Downey Jr.'s return to the MCU as the villainous Doctor Doom broke the internet, and is sure to get butts in seats. It was also reported that Chris Evans will be back, although which version of his character will be in the adventure remains to be unseen. Of course, moviegoers want to see a full cast list, and know which heroes will appear (and presumably come to blows).

While Paul Rudd was noticeably absent from Infinity War, Ant-Man was major presence and low key saved the world during Endgame. The Time Heist was his idea, starting the mission to assemble the Infinity Stones and snap everyone back into existence after five years.

It should be interesting to see what Ant-Man's future in the MCU looks like. Because while Rudd is endlessly charismatic, his threequel Quantumania failed to make money at the box office, and was one of many disappointments that have hit theaters since Endgame. So fans are curious to see if he'll get any more solo movies, or if Scott Lang will instead just appear in crossover projects like The Avengers.

Captain America: Brave New World is still in theaters now and the MCU will follow suit with Thunderbolts* on May 5th as pat of the 2025 movie release list. But we seemingly shouldn't expect a surprise appearance by Rudd.

Getting fit for superhero movies isn’t new, especially for "ageless" actor Paul Rudd. We have already touched on how much work has gone into his transformation, as well as the process that went into getting him perfect for his classic Marvel shirtless scene. However, the reason we’re talking about this again is because according to Rudd, this is actually in his genes.

In an interview with Men’s Health where he shared his workout routine, Rudd also shared a photo of his grandfather and great uncles. This was to show that he doesn’t come from a family of lightweights, as the interviewer described Rudd’s family as nothing short of “swole”. As to why they look like that, Rudd shared a bit of their story:

There are plenty of stories of actors having to shape up so they can wear the suit. Henry Cavill shared his hard-learned lesson when he was getting in shape to be Clark Kent. But not many people can say that being a bodybuilder or wrestler is in their genes. I’m honestly a little disappointed that the article didn’t include a photo because I want to see what Rudd's family looks like in comparison to the actor. At the very least, we do still have that video of Rudd and Chris Hemsworth doing their little workout dance.

If you’re curious, Paul Rudd was asked if his father also has the "strongest man in England" genes, which the answer was a very simple ‘not really’. But he did get some of his humor from his father, so it seems that a lot of the aspects of Rudd that we like are in some part genetic.

As of right now, we don’t know if Scott Lang will be returning in 2026's Avengers: Doomsday or 2027's Secret Wars, so we’ll just have to wait for more news to start rolling in. But outside of his superhero career, Rudd will be starring in an A24 film with Tim Robinson titled Friendship, which has already being considered as the most uncomfortable theatrical experience for 2025. It's an interesting statement considering Rudd is also going to be in another A24 film with Jenna Ortega, titled Death Of A Unicorn.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe keeps fans on their toes with a steady stream of new content, hitting theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have seen various characters come and go during that time, including some fan favorites. Ant-Man vet Judy Greer talked being left out of Quantumania and reveals one thing she wanted for her character.

Legendary character actress Judy Greer played Scott Lang's ex Maggie in the first two Ant-Man movies. She was noticeably missing from the threequel, although some fans are still hoping to see her return in upcoming Marvel movies. While speaking with The Direct, the Jawbreaker icon spoke about her tenure in the MCU, including voicing a role in Guardians 3. She said:

Honestly, same. While Judy Greer never got into the main action as Maggie, I loved seeing her in in the first two Ant-Man movies. And I definitely missed her in Paul Rudd's threequel, especially since their daughter Cassie became a superhero in her own right. As such, I'm going to go ahead and blame the lack of Judy Greer for Quantumania's disappointing at the box office performance.

Since the characters in Ant-Man 3 spent most of their time in the Quantum Realm, plenty of others got left on the cutting room floor. That includes Maggie, Bobby Cannavale's Paxton, and Scott's buddies from X-Con Security. Later in that same interview, Greer spoke about one thing she constantly asked for while appearing in the franchise, sharing:

Understandable. Because part of a superhero franchise is one thing, but getting to actually have superpowers is something else entirely. Maggie suddenly becoming an enhanced human would definitely be a shock, especially since she hasn't been involved in Ant-Man's action. But since their daughter Cassie got to get her own suit and join the fight in Quantumania, it's not a ridiculous concept.

It's currently unclear if a fourth Ant-Man movie is coming, and if/when Judy Greer returns to the MCU. Fans are assuming that Paul Rudd will be back as Scott Lang in Avengers: Doomsday and/or Secret Wars, but nothing is confirmed just yet.

The next Marvel movie hitting theaters is Captain America: Brave New World on February 14th. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.

Marvel's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania had all the ingredients for a surefire box office hit: stunning visuals, a quirky-yet-beloved lead in Paul Rudd and the big promise of being the next big upcoming Marvel movie to bring something additive to the Cinematic Universe’s next chapter. But even with that buzz, the threequel was critically divisive and had a rough box office debut, and a new financial analysis confirms just how tough. Recent findings also share precisely how Marvel and Disney navigated the less-than-stellar box office performance and ultimately turned it into a profitable venture.

Per analysis from Forbes, Quantumania banked $476.07 million globally in ticket sales, as reported by Box Office Mojo. But here’s the kicker: studios usually see only about half of a movie’s gross revenue after splitting earnings with theaters. This means Disney took home an estimated $238.05 million—not pocket change, but also not enough to cover the threequel’s eye-popping budget of $330.1 million. Yes, you read that monetary figure right, and it means there was a hefty $92.05 million gap between ticket sales and production costs.

If that sounds like the House of Mouse took a big hit, here’s where things get interesting. Marvel's decision to shoot Quantumania in the UK wasn’t just for scenic filming locations. The UK’s Audio-Visual Expenditure Credit (AVEC) offers a substantial 25.5% rebate on production costs, and savvy studios know how to use it to their advantage.

To qualify for this rebate, Disney set up a subsidiary, Pym Productions III UK (a clever nod to Ant-Man lore), to handle all aspects of the film's production on paper. So this financial structure netted Disney a rebate worth $58.3 million, lowering the movie's effective production cost from $388.4 million to a more manageable $330.1 million. This UK rebate arrangement sheds some light on why the MCU flick's production costs are publicly available, too. Under UK law, production companies benefiting from tax rebates must file detailed financial statements, meaning Quantumania's costs aren’t just guesses or estimates but officially documented figures.

It should be noted, though, that there’s more to the tiny superhero flick’s financial picture than box office totals alone. Studios rarely make their marketing expenses public, so Disney’s marketing costs aren’t in the film’s UK financials. Given that Marvel blockbusters can easily rack up tens of millions in advertising, the Peyton Reed-helmed flick’s marketing push was likely significant.

Here’s another key factor: Marvel and Disney have multiple (and exclusive) revenue streams beyond box office sales. Think merchandise, home entertainment, and streaming rights. When you factor in toys, digital rentals and various people with a Disney+ subscription, Quantumania likely pulled in enough to cover marketing expenses and generate extra revenue. Although these figures aren’t disclosed, industry insiders speculate that these supplementary sales could've turned the movie’s financial narrative from a theatrical flop to a somewhat profitable endeavor overall.

Ultimately, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania highlights how studios can use tax incentives, international regulations, and diversified revenue channels to make a movie profitable—even if it stumbles at the box office. Though the Paul Rudd-led movie didn’t shatter box office records, Marvel’s shrewd financial planning apparently ensured it still had something of a financial cushion. As for whether producers of upcoming superhero movies take note of such methods remains to be seen.

Check out our 2024 movie release schedule to see what's hitting theaters later this year, and don’t miss our 2025 movie list to see which superhero flicks are set to arrive in the new year.

When you think of the Marvel movies in order, what probably comes to mind immediately are the eclectic characters, major action sequences and iconic lines among other things. You may not consider, however, food when thinking about the allure of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yes, the franchise offers comic book-esque thrills, but there are also some excellent scenes that effectively involve fine cuisine. So, without further ado, let’s discuss some of those.

Tony Stark Eating Cheeseburgers (Iron Man)

One of the earliest instances of food being prominently featured in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is in 2008’s Iron Man, specifically after Tony Stark returns home following his escape from the Ten Rings’ clutches. While asking to call a press conference, Stark also says he wants “an American cheeseburger,” leading his limo driver to stop by Burger King for a few. It’s a funny bit but also adds to Stark’s characterization (and it’s paid off during a sweet scene in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame).

Tony Stark Eating New York Style Pizza (Iron Man)

In Iron Man, the villainous Obadiah Stane (a.k.a. Iron Monger) buys Tony Stark pizza from New York while delivering the news that the Stark Industries board has voted Tony out of his position. (That move is Stane’s idea but he doesn’t reveal it at the time). The large pie looks absolutely delicious, and I can understand why Stane won’t let Stark take the whole pizza after the latter refuses to reveal his latest project (the Iron Man suit) to him.

Bruce Banner Bribes A Security Guard And Grad Student With Pizza (The Incredible Hulk)

A significant portion of The Incredible Hulk takes place in New York, so it’s fitting that pizza played a role in the story. Bruce Banner, with help from friend and pizzeria owner Stanley, uses a couple of pies to bribe a Culver City grad student and a security guard while trying to find his research. Even though Banner doesn’t find what he is looking for, the pies certainly serve their purpose.

Tony Stark Eating Donuts At Randy’s Donuts (Iron Man 2)

Iron Man 2 may be a lower-ranked Marvel movie, but it does feature a number of memorable MCU moments. Among them is a scene that involves an armor-clad Tony Stark sitting in a donut at Randy’s Donuts while eating (you guessed it) donuts. The situation is on-brand for Stark but also represents his reckless attitude amid his palladium poisoning.

Thor Chows Down At A Diner (Thor)

The God of Thunder’s first solo film sees him visiting a diner alongside Jane Foster and his other new allies from Earth. While there, Thor scarfs down plenty of food as well as coffee, before breaking the mug and asking for another. This may be played for laughs, but it perfectly sums up Odinson’s initially arrogant nature.

Colonel Phillips Enjoys A Steak (Captain America: The First Avenger)

Good food is hard to come by in the World War II-centric Captain America: The First Avenger, though Colonel Chester Phillips manages to enjoy a steak dinner, complete with potatoes and veggies. There’s a greater purpose to the meal, though, as Phillips uses it as a tool while interrogating HYDRA's Arnim Zola.

Phil Coulson Shops For Snacks At A Gas Station (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor's Hammer)

The Marvel One-Shot A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Thor’s Hammer sees Phil Coulson skillfully thwart a robbery in a gas station while en route to New Mexico. If you enjoy food like me, though, what likely stands out the most is the fact that he’s only at the station to shop for snacks. And he ends up purchasing two sets of mini donuts, in case you were wondering.

Tony Stark And Bruce Banner Eat Blueberries (The Avengers)

You know you’re becoming friends when you start sharing snacks! In The Avengers, one of Tony Stark and Bruce Banner’s earliest “Science Bros.” scenes involves them eating blueberries while working alongside each other on the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier. It truly marks the start of a beautiful friendship.

The Avengers Eat Shawarma (The Avengers)

Few scenes in the MCU are as iconic as The Avengers’ post-credit Shawarma scene, which was a last-minute addition. The moment happens after Earth’s Mightiest Heroes take down Loki and the Chitauri amid the Battle of New York, and it marks the first of many meals shared by the heroic cohorts.

Tony Stark And James “Rhodey” Rhodes Grab A Meal (Iron Man 3)

Iron Man 3 offers fans a quick glimpse of a lunch meet-up between best friends Tony Stark and James Rhodes. Rhodey’s fries and Tony’s veggies look delectable, but what truly makes the scene important is that it marks the first of several panic attacks for Stark.

Scott Lang’s Friend Kurt Enjoys Chinese Food (Ant-Man)

Before Ant-Man’s cool post-credits scenes, viewers are treated to a closing scene that sees Scott Lang meeting up with his buddies in San Francisco’s Chinatown. It’s there that Kurt chows down on good Chinese food, while Luis reveals to Scott that Avenger Sam Wilson has been asking about him. The food doesn't play a big role, but the restaurant and environmental ambiance are "sublime" as Luis would say.

Vision Tries To Cook (Captain America: Civil War)

The relationship between Wanda Maximoff and Vision really begins to blossom in Captain America: Civil War, and that’s especially evident during a scene that takes place in the Avengers Facility. It sees Vision trying to cook a meal for Maximoff and, while chatting over his lack of culinary skills, they discuss their superhuman powers. It’s a shame the meet-cute is cut short by the reveal that Vision is keeping Wanda from leaving the compound.

Peter And May Parker Have Thai Food (Spider-Man: Homecoming)

A meal is a good way for family members to bond, and that’s what Peter Parker and his (younger) Aunt May kind of do when they have dinner at a Thai restaurant in Spider-Man: Homecoming. The larb-centric scene not only further solidifies the love May has for her nephew but also the natural attraction that someone – like a friendly waiter – can feel towards her.

Hope Van Dyne Has A Fight In A Hotel Kitchen (Ant-Man And The Wasp)

Ant-Man and the Wasp features some truly creative sequences that take advantage of the titular protagonists’ shrinking abilities. Chief among them is a sequence that sees a small Hope van Dyne fending off thugs in a kitchen while avoiding being crushed like a tomato and chopped like a carrot.

Drax Eats Zarg Nuts In Front Of Peter Quill And Gamora (Avengers: Infinity War)

When discussing the funniest moments from Avengers: Infinity War, one has to mention the “invisible” scene. It sees Drax creeping on fellow Guardians of the Galaxy Peter Quill and Gamora while he’s eating Zarg Nuts. That’s funny enough on its own, but what makes the scene sing is Drax’s assertion that his movements are so slow that he’s invisible to the naked eye.

Natasha Romanoff Eats A Peanut Butter Sandwich That Scott Lang Grabs Later (Avengers: Endgame)

Peanut butter sandwiches usually represent joy and comfort, but the sight of Natasha Romanoff eating one while trying to maintain composure while meeting with the Avengers in Endgame is just tragic. It’s a representation of her grief, which is further expressed when she talks to Steve Rogers after the meeting. A glimmer of hope comes later, however, as Scott Lang – who is newly released from the Quantum Realm – arrives and takes a bite out of the sandwich.

Bruce Banner Eats A Lot Of Food At A Diner (Avengers: Endgame)

It’s rare that fans are able to witness a Hulk eat, but it’s even rarer that they see a Smart Hulk chow down. That’s exactly what happens in Avengers: Endgame, when Scott Lang, Natasha Romanoff and Steve Rogers meet up with Bruce Banner at a diner to recruit him for their time heist. It’s there that Banner scarfs down giant pancakes, sausage and a bowl of scrambled eggs.

Bruce Banner Shares Tacos With Scott Lang (Avengers: Endgame)

Scott Lang has plenty of good, super-powered friends, including resident Hulk Bruce Banner. That’s evidenced by the fact that after Scott’s taco is blown away – due to Nebula and Rocket Raccoon’s ship landing in front of the Avengers Facility – Banner shares two more tacos with Scott. If that doesn't represent friendship goals, then I don’t know what does.

Rocket Raccoon Teases Scott Lang While The Avengers Eat Together (Avengers: Endgame)

Aside from Infinity War, Earth’s Mightiest Heroes have shared a meal in the Avengers movies. Endgame sees the crew eating while plotting their time heist and, while enjoying some tasty-looking Chinese food, Rocket humorously teases Lang for his ignorance when it comes to space travel. (And, if you look, you can also see Hulk eating a tub of ice cream.)

Wanda Maximoff Tries To Cook Dinner (WandaVision)

How does a witch cook dinner? Well, WandaVison shows that when it comes to Wanda Maximoff, cooking involves levitating pots, pans and a whole chicken. The sitcom-esque scene is funny but also exemplifies Wanda and her husband Vision’s attempts to adapt to domestic life while keeping their superhuman abilities under wraps.

Sam Wilson, Bucky Barnes And Co. Have A Cookout (The Falcon And The Winter Soldier)

There’s a lot for viewers to digest in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s finale, but one of the sweetest moments sees Sam Wilson, Bucky Barnes and co. digesting some good food. During the miniseries’ closing moments, a celebratory cookout is held in Louisiana, which includes succulent seafood, perfect pies and a cake brought by Bucky.

Loki Destroys Mobius’ Salad (Loki Season 1)

It’s never cool to mess up someone’s meal, and that’s what Loki does when he confronts TVA operative Mobius M. Mobius and tries to explain his theory of individuals using natural disasters to hide within points in time. Loki specifically does this by using salt, pepper and water to destroy the salad Mobius intends to have for lunch.

Shang-Chi Has Dinner With His Father (Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings)

Warm, family dinners are featured in several MCU productions, but that’s not the case in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The eponymous hero, his friend, Katy, and sister, Xu Xialing, break bread with the two siblings’ estranged father, Wenwu (a.k.a. the Mandarin) for the first time in years. The food looks good enough to eat, but it’s the tension you can cut through with a knife.

The Eternals Enjoy A Meal Together (Eternals)

After spending centuries on Earth apart, the members of the Eternals reunite in the lead-up to the Emergence. The group stops in Australia to find Sersi and Gilgamesh, who makes a scrumptious meal for his family. However, Gilgamesh’s homemade beer, which is made with corn kernels fermented in his own spit, doesn’t sound that great.

Clint Barton And His Kids Have Dinner At A Chinese Restaurant (Hawkeye)

Hawkeye sees Clint Barton making up for lost time with his family by hanging out with his kids in New York, where they see Rogers: The Musical (which spawned a real show). A particularly warm moment sees the four Bartons eating at a Chinese restaurant and enjoying an impressive spread that’s enough to make one’s mouth water.

Yelena Belova Eats Macaroni And Cheese With Hot Sauce (Hawkeye)

If there’s any scene from Hawkeye that fans need to see, it’s the moment Kate Bishop and Yelena Belova meet. Belova breaks into Bishop’s apartment to discuss her mission to kill Clint Barton a.k.a. Hawkeye. For the meet-up, Yelena prepares macaroni and cheese and adds hot sauce to it. Few MCU feud scenes get better than this one (and it served as a “dream day” on set for actress Florence Pugh).

Steven Grant Takes Over A Cupcake Delivery Van (Moon Knight)

While being chased through the Alps by cult leader Arthur Harrow’s forces on Moon Knight, Steven Grant commandeers a delivery van full of cupcakes. He doesn’t actually partake in the scrumptious-looking treats, but is able to use some to ward off his attackers.

America Chavez Eats Pizza Balls (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Of Madness)

Stephen Strange visits a few alternate universes with America Chavez during the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. In one of them, Chavez snags some pizza balls without paying for them, drawing the ire of street vendor Pizza Poppa. What results is a gag that isn’t humorously tied up until the MoM post-credits scene.

Yusuf Khan Enjoys Food While Nakia Bahadir Asks For His Vote At Eid Celebration (Ms. Marvel)

Food, music and fun abound during the Eid al-Adha celebration depicted on Ms. Marvel. Kamala Khan’s father, Yusuf, indulges in the goodies and does so when his daughter’s best friend, Nakia Bahadir, approaches him for his support in her campaign for board member of their mosque. The food looks great, but Nakia’s pitch really steals the scene, to be honest.

Loki And Mobius Eat Key Lime Pie (Loki Season 2)

The Time Variance Authority offers up some great-looking food as evidenced by the exquisite key lime pie that’s available in the cafeteria. Loki and Mobius enjoy it while discussing their plan to interrogate rogue operative Hunter X-05 (a.k.a. Brad Wolfe) as well as Mobius’ stolen life. Hearty desserts are definitely needed when discussing such heavy subject matter.

Mobius And Hunter X-05 Eat At McDonald’s (Loki Season 2)

Not many people can withstand the appeal of a meal from McDonald’s, and that includes some MCU characters, apparently. Loki, Mobius M. Mobius and Hunter X-05 (or Brad Wolfe) seek out Sylvie Laufeydottir in a branched timeline in 1982 Oklahoma. It’s there that Sylvie works at a Mickey D’s and, while Loki confronts Laufeydottir, Mobius orders a burger, fries and a milkshake for Brad. The sight of the meal is enough to make one hungry.

Agatha Harkness Eats A Corn Dog (Agatha All Along)

After being rescued from Wanda Maximoff’s spell by “Teen” on Agatha All Along, Agatha Harkness seeks to form a coven so that she can walk the Witches’ Road and reclaim her powers. It’s while Harkness and Teen are at the mall scoping out potential member Alice Wu-Gulliver that Agatha munchs on a corn dog. Who knew gathering witches could make a person so hungry?

Aaron Eckhart’s Harvey Dent once said in The Dark Knight, “You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” While that exact scenario is not always the case in most comic book adaptations, there are quite a few instances in which the central character does not deserve to be called the hero as much as another member of the ensemble whose actions played a more pivotal role in the final victory. Let’s take a look at some of the best superhero movies in which the superhero ended up owing a supporting role a large debt of gratitude.

Avengers: Endgame (The Rat)

It would be easy to call Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) the real hero of one of the best Marvel movies, 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, since he is the one who sacrifices his life to destroy Thanos (Josh Brolin) at the end. However, the Avengers would have never been able to build a time machine, collect the Infinity Stones, and reverse the Titan’s genocidal act if not for Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), who was released from the Quantum Realm by a device activated by a rat that scurries across it. Thus, that rat is the MCU’s true savior.

The Batman (Officer Martinez)

Matt Reeves’ The Batman from 2022 is one of the rare live-action Batman movies to portray Bruce Wayne’s alter ego (Robert Pattinson) as a genuine detective, but he still never would have figured out Riddler's (Paul Rano) plan to flood Gotham without a tip from Martinez (Gil Perez-Abraham). The GCPD officer identified the villain’s murder weapon as a carpeting tool, leading the Dark Knight to find the map of explosive devices planted around the city underneath the killer's carpet.

Spider-Man: No Way Home (Ned Leeds)

In the multiverse movie favorite, 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, Tom Holland’s Peter Parker would have never been able to stop Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe) and other inter-dimensional Spider-Man movie villains without help from his two alternate selves (played by Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire). The epic team-up might not have happened without Peter’s buddy, Ned (Jacob Batalon), who accidentally found the other Peters by using Doctor Strange’s Sling Ring.

Iron Man (Ho Yinsen)

In 2008’s Iron Man, Tony Stark is held captive by The Ten Rings with a fellow scientist named Yinsen (Shaun Toub), whom he thanks for saving him as he makes his escape from their cave. Indeed, Stark was saved by this Afghan family man in two ways: by creating the prototype electromagnet that kept shrapnel near his heart from killing him and by convincing him to reevaluate his life choices and become the hero he was destined to be.

Thor: Ragnarok (Surtur)

In the final act of Thor: Ragnarok, the God of Thunder (Chris Hemsworth) admits that he is unable to save Asgard by defeating his sister, Hela, (Cate Blanchett). However, he is able to defeat her by allowing the Fire Demon Surtur (voiced by Clancy Brown, in one of his two MCU roles) to bring about the destruction of his beloved home.

Black Panther (M'Baku)

Because of his understandable motivation, fans of 2018’s Black Panther do not necessarily consider Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) to be a genuine villain, but he is still not a “good” person and does not qualify as the film’s “real hero.” For that, we chose M’Baku (Winston Duke) — the leader of Wakanda’s Jabari tribe, which found an incapacitated T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) and kept him alive, allowing for his eventual revival and defeat of his corrupt cousin.

Guardians Of The Galaxy (Meredith Quill)

In 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Peter “Star-Lord” Quill (Chris Pratt), explains to Gamora (Zoe Saldaña) that his late mother, Meredith (Laura Haddock), equipped him with some of “Terra’s” greatest music in a cassette she called “Awesome Mix. Vol. 1.” These tunes turned out to be the perfect tool in defeating Ronan (Lee Pace), whom he distracts from his team’s attack by challenging him to a dance-off.

The Incredibles (Jack-Jack)

In the literally explosive final battle from the beloved Pixar movie classic, 2004’s The Incredibles, it is Jack-Jack of all people whose actions prove most effective in finally defeating Syndrome (Jason Lee). Not to mention, in that scene, the Parr Family's infant son proves that he is the most powerful of them all, boasting a remarkable arsenal of abilities.

Batman Returns (Catwoman)

Most would say there are two villains in Batman Returns and they are not wrong, but Michelle Pfeiffer’s Selina “Catwoman” Kyle is not one of them when you really think about it. In fact, she is the one who gets rid of the actual greatest threat to Gotham in the 1992 sequel (and one of the most overlooked Batman movie characters): corrupt industrialist Max Schreck (Academy Award winner Christopher Walken).

Unbreakable (Joseph Dunn)

If not for Elijah “Mr. Glass” Price (Samuel L. Jackson), David Dunn (Bruce Willis) would have never discovered his superhuman abilities, but because he also murdered many by causing that introductory train wreck, he is far from being the real hero of M. Night Shyamalan’s 2000 thriller, Unbreakable. It is David’s son, Joseph (Spencer Treat Clark), who really teaches his father to embrace his gifts and use them as a force for good.

Superman: The Movie (Eve Teschmacher)

In 1978’s Superman: The Movie, Lex Luthor (Gene Hackman) manages to hold the Man of Steel (Christopher Reeve) prisoner by putting him in his pool with a Kryptonite-encrusted chain around his neck. Luckily, the wealthy criminal’s girlfriend, Eve (Valerie Perrine), defies him by removing the chain and allowing him to leave and save the day.

Batman (Vicki Vale)

In Tim Burton’s 1989 hit, Batman, photojournalist Vicki Vale (Kim Basinger) not only attracts the attention of Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton), but his nemesis, The Joker (Jack Nicholson). Near the end, she uses the criminal’s affection for her against him, keeping him distracted while the Dark Knight sneaks up and engages in a final battle with the clown.

The Meteor Man (The Bloods And The Crips)

At the end of the 1993 superhero comedy The Meteor Man, Jefferson Reed (Robert Townsend, who also writes and directs) has lost his powers when powerful crime lord Anthony Byers (Frank Gorshin) and his assassins show up to do him in. Just then, members of the notorious, real-life rival gangs, the Bloods and the Crips, show up in unity to defend the superhero, ultimately scaring away the vicious criminals who are apprehended by the authorities soon after.

Mystery Men (Carmine The Bowler)

The titular vigilante crew in 1999’s Mystery Men — a comic book movie that deserves a reboot — leave it to the spirit of The Bowler’s (Janeana Garofalo) father, Carmine, who possesses her bowling ball, to destroy Casanova Frankenstein’s (Geoffrey Rush) Psycho-frakulator, which destroys the master criminal’s mansion. saving the day. In the film’s final line, The Bowler admits to Carmine that he did save the day and that they will be “hearing about it for the rest of their lives.”

The Dark Knight (The Ferry Passengers)

In 2008’s The Dark Knight, the Joker (Heath Ledger) devises a cruel social experiment, claiming he will destroy two ferries — one commercial and the other carrying convicts — rigged with explosives at midnight unless one detonates the other first. However, neither boat chooses to sacrifice the other, disproving the criminal’s cynical hypothesis in a profound and inspiring moment of humanity in one of the bleakest comic book films ever made.

X-Men: Days Of Future Past (Quicksilver)

Needing to break Erik “Magneto” Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender) from a prison inside the Pentagon, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) and Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) recruit the unhumanly fast Quicksilver (Evan Peters) to help them in X-Men: Days of Future Past. The slow-motion sequence would prove to be one of the all-time most iconic and dazzling scenes from an X-Men movie, which automatically makes him its true savior in our book.

The Toxic Avenger (Sara)

After being saved by the titular, hideously deformed creature of superhuman size and strength (played by Mitch Cohen) from 1984’s The Toxic Avenger, the non-seeing Sara (Andree Maranda) would become the beauty who tamed the beast, so to speak. Indeed, she manages to encourage "Toxie" to continue being the hero Tromaville deserves, when it needs him the most, even when he becomes afraid of himself and what he is capable of.

Batman: Mask Of The Phantasm (Andrea Beaumont)

Any fan of, arguably, the greatest animated Batman movie would agree that the true villains of 1993’s Batman: Mask of the Phantasm are the ruthless criminals and corrupt figures whom Andrea Beaumont (Dana Delany) targets as her titular alter ego. Her methods may be against the philosophies of the Dark Knight (voiced by Kevin Conroy), but we cannot deny that she gets the job done.

Ant-Man (Officer Jim Paxton)

Because of his criminal record, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is looked down upon by Jim Paxton (Booby Cannavale) — a cop engaged to his ex-wife, Maggie (Judy Greer), who also acts as a loving stepfather to her and Scott’s daughter, Cassie. However, because Scott, as Ant-Man, risked his life to save Cassie from Darren “Yellowjacket” Cross (Corey Stoll), Paxton buried evidence that could have sent him back to jail, beginning a beautiful, overdue friendship between them.

The Avengers (Agent Phil Coulson)

In 2012’s The Avengers, trying to prevent Loki (Tom Hiddleston) from escaping the S.H.I.E.L.D. helipad, Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) is tragically killed. It is his death that ultimately motivates the initially dysfunctional heroes to set aside their differences, work together, and save the world from the Chitauri.

Batman & Robin (Mr. Freeze)

For starters, while many of his puns are criminally atrocious, Dr. Victor “Mr. Freeze” Fries (Arnold Schwarzenegger) does have a justifiable motivation — saving his terminally ill wife — which makes him less deserving of the villain label than his partner, Poison Ivy (Uma Thuman). He also earns his redemption by the end of 1997’s Batman & Robin by giving Bruce Wayne (George Clooney) the cure for McGregor syndrome, which saves Alfred Pennyworth’s (Michael Gough) life.

The Rocketeer (Peevy Peabody)

Director Joe Johnston’s vastly underrated 1991 adventure favorite, The Rocketeer, stars Billy Campbell as Cliff — a 1930s pilot who discovers a jetpack prototype that makes him into a flying superhero. However, you could argue that his mentor, veteran mechanic Peevy (Alan Arkin), is the real brains behind his vigilante exploits.

Batman Begins (Lucius Fox)

Christopher Nolan’s grounded approach to reimagining the origins of Bruce Wayne’s (Christian Bale) war against crime in 2005’s Batman Begins involves the explanation that he did not make all of his wonderful toys on his own. He would have no Batsuit, no Batmobile, and little of his other valuable utilities without the help of Wayne Enterprises' then-head of research, Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman).

Ant-Man And The Wasp (Janet Van Dyne)

Ant-Man and the Wasp from 2018 is yet another great example of a superhero movie in which the villain is not really a villain — namely Hannah John-Kamen’s Ava “Ghost” Starr, who is nicknamed for her unstable power of intangibility. However, her unusual condition is luckily cured by Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), Hank Pym’s (Michael Douglas) long-lost wife, after he manages to rescue her from the Quantum Realm.

Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie (George And Harold)

Ten-year-old best friends George Beard (Kevin Hart) and Harold Hutchins (Thomas Middleditch) may have been the cause of a lot of the trouble in Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, by hypnotizing Principal Krupp (Ed Helms) into adopting his titular. However, the entranced superhero also could not have defeated Professor Poopypants (Nick Kroll) without them.

Iron Man 3 (Pepper Potts)

There are actually several reasons why you could argue that Stark Industries CEO and Tony Stark’s wife, Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), is the true hero of the Iron Man movies as a whole. Yet it is in 2013’s third installment that sees her really get into the action when she takes out Guy Pearce’s Aldrich Killian, in the end, using her incendiary abilities after being injected with Extremis.

The LEGO Batman Movie (Phyllis)

In 2017’s The LEGO Batman Movie, Bruce Wayne (Will Arnett) is banished to the Phantom Zone, where its gatekeeper, Phyllis (Ellie Kemper), helps him realize how selfish and cowardly he has been acting. She then allows him to temporarily return to Gotham, where he begins to finally work collaboratively with the likes of Robin and Barbara Gordon, and save the city from Joker and his villains’ collective.

The Crow (Darryl Albrecht)

Ernie Hudson plays one of the best ‘90s movie supporting characters in The Crow as Sgt. Darryl Albrecht. The Detroit cop, who was at the scene of Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) and Shelly Webster’s murder, ends up becoming a trusted ally in the resurrected Draven’s plea for vengeance.

The Mask (Milo)

In 1994’s The Mask — one of Jim Carrey’s best movies — Stanley Ipkiss (Carrey) is able to make a swift escape from the police station holding cell with the help of his dog Milo. The Jack Russell Terrier also helps the banker take down Dorian Tyrell (Peter Greene) and his henchpeople when the titular, mystical artifact turns him into one mean, green mongrel.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Nuala)

In Guillermo del Toro’s Hellboy sequel from 2008, Prince Nuada (Luke Goss) seeks to lead a rebellion of mystical beings against the human race by unleashing the Golden Army. However, he and his sister, Nuala (Anna Walton) are physically linked, meaning they experience the harm of each other's injuries, and it is her deadly sacrifice that thwarts his plan.

The Dark Knight Rises (Officer John Blake)

At the beginning of 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises, Bruce Wayne has put himself into exile, following the death of Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) years earlier, until John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), who has figured out that he is Batman, inspires him to don the cape and cowl again. It is no wonder that he chooses him to be his successor at the end — his legal name being “Robin” notwithstanding.

Black Adam (Amon Tomaz)

Following his resurrection, the nearly unbeatable Teth-Adam (Dwayne Johnson) assures multiple times that he is “not a hero.” However, young superhero fan Amon Tomaz (Bodhi Sabongui) teaches him to embrace his potential to be one after all.

The MCU is always growing, thanks to theatrical movies as well as project that are streaming with a Disney+ subscription. While the studio is showing no signs of slowing down, there have been some behind the scenes shakeups. In addition to Jonathan Majors' firing as Kang, Hope van Dyne actress Evangeline Lilly revealed that she's taking a break from acting and isn't contracted to appear in any upcoming Marvel movies. Fans are wondering if that means she's out as The Wasp, and here are 5 actresses who could replace Lily in the MCU if needed.

Moviegoers who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order know that Lily first debuted as Hope in 2015's Ant-Man, before becoming The Wasp in the first sequel. She's had a great run in the role, but if the Lost alum is really stepping away from acting, then the studio might need to find a replacement. In no particular order, here are some choices I think would crush the role.

Dakota Johnson

This one might be a bit of a long shot, but hear me out. Dakota Johnson is a very capable actress, and her starpower made her seem like a killer choice to bring Madame Web to life. But the project (which is streaming with a Netflix subscription),  was reportedly changed greatly from the script she signed on.

While it's quickly becoming a cult classic, it seems unlikely that Sony would move forward with a sequel, especially as Madame Web struggled at the box office. And I think Johnson deserves a second change at the genre; she looked amazing in Madame Web's costume... even if she only got to wear it very briefly in the theatrical cut. It would great to see her use her talents in a more cohesive superhero movie like Avengers: The Kang Dynasty or a fourth Ant-Man movie... if it ever gets green lit.

Zooey Deschanel

Zoeey Deschanel might not be as experienced as Evangeline Lily in genre work, but she's a popular choice online to play Hope van Dyne/ The Wasp. Namely because Joss Whedon wanted her for the role back during the development of The Avengers.

Prior to its release, Joss Whedon wrote another version of The Avengers which featured Zooey Deschanel's The Wasp as a major (hilarious) character. In the end this wasn't necessary as Scarlett Johansson signed onto a multi-picture deal as OG Avenger Black Widow. So if they need a new Hope, why not go with the New Girl alum?

Mila Kunis

Mila Kunis has had a long and wildly successful career in both TV and film. But surprisingly she hasn't made her debut in a superhero project just yet, despite being such a great choice. I mean, we've already seen her physically throw herself into a role with Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan. 

While Kunis has dipped her toes into some high concept genre projects with The Wachowskis' ill-fated Jupiter Ascending, I think she's got the charisma and star power to take on playing The Wasp in the MCU. While that was an ambitious new franchise that struggled at the box office, The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a well-oiled machine at this point in its life in theaters. So perhaps slipping into the role of The Wasp would allow for the Bad Moms actress to take on that type of character. I have a feeling her natural swagger would be great within the MCU. 

Rebecca Ferguson 

This is another actress that is surprisingly not involved in the MCU, despite so many Marvel characters Rebecca Ferguson would be perfect to play. She's a stellar talent, and one who is recognizable for a number of major projects, including playing the fascinating Lady Jessica in Denis Villeneuve's Dune franchise (which is streaming with a Max subscription), and the protagonist Juliette in the sci-fi drama show Silo (which is streaming with an Apple TV+ subscription). And of course, we can't forget Ferguson's role opposite Tom Cruise in the Mission Impossible franchise.

In all of her characters, Ferguson brings a palpable sense of power and confidence. And I think that could easily help her portray Hope van Dyne if the studio decides to actually recast Evangeline Lily. She's both a superhero and a keen mind, and I think the Greatest Showman actress could easily flex those muscles for the role. Plus, who doesn't want to see a fan cam of Ferguson as The Wasp set to the song "Never Enough"?

Betty Gilpin

Betty Gilpin is a stellar talent who is a stand out in any project that she participates in. As such, I think it would be a smart idea for either Marvel or DC to try and lock her down in a multi-picture deal. And who knows: maybe for the MCU she could step into Wasp's suit if Evangeline Lilly actually takes a large break away from her signature role. 

Another reason why the Nurse Jackie actress would be so good as Hope van Dyne/ The Wasp is because she's proven herself to be a very capable physical performer. She learned how to do professional wrestling as Liberty Belle Netflix's GLOW, and did a ton of action and fight scenes as the protagonist of the controversial dark comedy horror flick The Hunt. So it would be fun to see her once again get into some action sequences, but perhaps given The Wasp's signature suit, blasters, and wings. 

Obviously this discourse is all only valuable if Evangeline Lilly actually takes a longer sabbatical from acting, and turns out the opportunity to return as Hope/ The Wasp in a future Marvel Cinematic Universe project. No official new has been offered by Lilly or Marvel Studios just yet, so she's presumably still the only actress playing the role. But if that changes, there are clearly a number of capable actresses who could take on the mantle to continue Hope and Scott Lang's story on the big screen. 

While we wait for official news about the fate of Hope van Dyne in the MCU, be sure to check out the 2025 movie release dates to plan your trips to the theater. With Marvel pumping the breaks on the speed of its releases, there will be less releases in the next few years. 

In 2015, actress Evangeline Lilly starred in Ant-Man, the 12th of the Marvel movies in order, as Hope van Dyne, who ultimately went on to follow in her mother Janet’s footsteps and become The Wasp. Her Marvel Cinematic Universe introduction was followed by appearances in Ant-Man and the Wasp, Avengers: Endgame and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, giving her a decent run among the recurring actors in this franchise. However, now Lilly has announced that she’s stepping away from acting, which leads to one wonder what this means for Hope’s future in the MCU.

What Evangeline Lilly Said About Stepping Away From Acting

On her Instagram page, Lilly shared a video of her from 2006 when she was working on Lost, the popular ABC series where she played Kate Austen (who she had some problems with) for the entirety of its run. She was asked on the beach set as the sun was setting where she would like to be in 10 years, and although she was “terrified to admit this to the acting world,” Lilly answered that she’d like to be a retired actress, have a family, write and “influencing people’s lives in a more humanitarian way.” The video ends with a snippet from a Maya Angelou video, and with Lilly having accomplished the latter three goals she mentioned nearly 20 years ago, she’s now ready to move on from acting, though not necessarily permanently retire from it. As she wrote in the caption:

Again, Evangeline Lilly isn’t saying that there’s no chance we’ll ever see her act again, but for now, she’s in a place where she feels comfortable pressing pause on this portion of her professional life. As a result, Quantumania marks her final acting project for now, but what will this mean for Hope van Dyne looking ahead at the upcoming Marvel movies?

How Will The MCU Handle The Wasp Going Forward?

When we left off with Hope at the end of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, she’d returned to the Quantum Realm to help Scott Lang defeat Kang the Conqueror, then the two of them were able to go back home thanks to Cassie Lang reopening the portal. The couple’s everyday life resumed without a hitch, though Scott began to wonder if Kang’s death would lead to a greater danger emerging.

There’s been no mention of Ant-Man 4 being in the works, and frankly, the chances of it moving forward would surely have dwindled given Quantumania critically and commercially underperforming. So as far as that particular MCU film series goes, the likelihood of Lilly coming back to reprise Hope van Dyne was already pretty slim. That said, Phase Six does have Avengers 5 and Avengers: Secret Wars coming up, and there’s always the chance that Lilly could have donned the Wasp suit again for brief appearances in either of those movies, just like she did in Endgame.

Now that’s off the table, so two options come to mind regarding how the MCU will handle Wasp going forward. First, and I suspect this is likelier, is that she’ll simply be written out. Ideally we’d get a mention of what Hope is doing these days or why she hasn’t returned for some battle that Scott may participate in, which is better than her just never being referenced again. The second option is that maybe Marvel will recast the role, assuming that there’s a story coming up that requires Hope’s presence and she can’t be substituted with another character? It’s hard to imagine that happening in something non-Ant-Man-related, but hey, Marvel’s surprised me many times before, so I won’t rule it out.

If there are any updates regarding Hope van Dyne’s status in the MCU, either onscreen or information passed along by someone high-ranking at Marvel Studios, we’ll pass them along. For, now, you can revisit the character’s previous appearances with your Disney+ subscription, and remember that the next MCU movie up is Deadpool & Wolverine, which arrives July 26.

David Dastmalchian's star power continues to rise with each role he plays, including his appearance in some of the best superhero movies in recent memory. He has also lent his versatile talents to a few popular TV shows, in main or notable recurring roles, and we have compiled our choices for his greatest hits below. The following are some of the best David Dastmalchian movies and TV shows, including a tip on how you can watch them.

Late Night With The Devil (2024)

Director: Colin Cairnes, Cameron Cairnes

Starring: David Dastmalchian, Laura Gordon

What it's about: Hoping to boost his ratings, a late night TV host invites a young woman who has supposedly been possessed by a demon as a guest on his talk show's Halloween special.

Why it is one of the best David Dastmalchian movies: Framed as a lost, infamous 1977 TV broadcast, the creepy, inventive Late Night with the Devil — also available with a Shudder subscription — solidifies Dastmalchian as a modern horror movie icon with his thoroughly compelling performance as Night Owls host Jack Delroy.

How to watch Late Night with the Devil

• Stream Late Night with the Devil on AMC+
• Stream Late Night with the Devil on Hulu
• Rent or buy Late Night with Devil on Amazon
• Buy Late Night with Devil on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Dark Knight (2008)

Director: Christopher Nolan

Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger

What it's about: Bruce Wayne struggles to protect Gotham City from a dangerously unpredictable and insane master criminal known as The Joker.

Why it is one of the best David Dastmalchian movies: The moment that introduced the world to David Dastmalchian was when Christopher Nolan changed his life by casting him in The Dark Knight — one of the most beloved live-action Batman movies — as former Arkham patient, Thomas Schiff.

How to watch The Dark Knight

• Stream The Dark Knight on Max
• Rent or buy The Dark Knight on Amazon
• Buy The Dark Knight on Blu-ray on Amazon

Prisoners (2013)

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal

What it's about: A family man goes to desperate lengths to find his missing daughter as a local detective struggles with the case.

Why it is one of the best David Dastmalchian movies: Dastmalchian received much acclaim for his small, but pivotal role as a child murder suspect in the mesmerizing, harrowing mystery drama, Prisoners, which has a gripping ending.

How to watch Prisoners

• Stream Prisoners on Max
• Rent or buy Prisoners on Amazon
• Buy Prisoners on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Ant-Man Movies (2015-2023)

Director: Peyton Reed

Starring: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lily

What they are about: Reformed burglar Scott Lang uses a special suit that alters his size and strength to fight crime.

Why they are some of the best David Dastmalchian movies: Dastmalchian joined the club of actors who have played multiple Marvel Cinematic Universe characters with his dual roles in the Ant-Man movies — Kurt Goreshter from Ant-Man and 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp and a strange creature named Veb from Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

How to watch the Ant-Man movies

MacGyver (2016-2021)

Starring: Lucas Till

What it's about: A government agent uses his unique problem-solving skills to help get out of sticky situations on missions.

Why it is one of the best David Dastmalchian TV shows: Dastmalchian appeared in 11 episodes of CBS’ modern reimagining of the hit action/adventure series, MacGyver, in the recurring role of Mac's nemesis, a fearsome assassin named Murdoc.

How to watch MacGyver

• Stream MacGyver on Paramount+
• Stream MacGyver on Amazon Prime for free
• Buy MacGyver on DVD on Amazon

The Belko Experiment (2017)

Director: Greg McLean

Starring: John Gallagher Jr., Tony Goldwyn, Adria Arjona

What it's about: A large group of office employees locked inside their corporate building is forced into a deadly social experiment that requires them to turn on one another and become the sole survivor.

Why it is one of the best David Dastmalchian movies: One of Dastmalchian’s first major horror movies and his first collaboration with writer James Gunn is the highly intense The Belko Experiment, in which he plays an office maintenance worker named Lonny.

How to watch The Belko Experiment

• Stream The Belko Experiment on Tubi
• Stream The Belko Experiment on Pluto TV
• Rent or buy The Belko Experiment on Amazon
• Buy The Belko Experiment on Blu-ray on Amazon

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford

What it's about: In a futuristic Los Angeles, a cop who specializes in hunting artificially created humans is assigned to an astonishing case that leads him to enlist the help of a long-missing veteran.

Why it is one of the best David Dastmalchian movies: Dastmalchian had a small role in Blade Runner 2049 — the stunning sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi movie classic — as an LAPD lab technician named Coco.

How to watch Blade Runner 2049

• Rent or buy Blade Runner 2049 on Amazon
• Buy Blade Runner 2049 on Blu-ray on Amazon

Reprisal (2019)

Starring: Abigail Spencer, David Dastmalchian

What it's about: After her own brother leaves her for dead, a woman infiltrates his criminal gang to bring it down from the inside.

Why it is one of the best David Dastmalchian TV shows: Dastmalchian’s talents for playing quiet, stoic characters perfectly suits his role as Johnson in Reprisal — a noir-inspired miniseries from creator Josh Corbin that was originally exclusive to Hulu.

How to watch Reprisal

• Buy Reprisal on Amazon

Batman: The Long Halloween (2021)

Director: Chris Palmer

Starring: Jensen Ackles

What it's about: Over the course of a year, Bruce Wayne investigates a series of murders that each take place on a different holiday.

Why it is one of the best David Dastmalchian movies: Years after The Dark Knight, David Dastmalchian would lend his voice to another Arkham inmate — in this case Calendar Man — in the animated two-part adaptation of Jeph Loeb’s brilliant, tragic graphic novel, Batman: The Long Halloween.

How to watch Batman: The Long Halloween

• Buy Batman: The Long Halloween on Amazon
• Buy Batman: The Long Halloween on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Suicide Squad (2021)

Director: James Gunn

Starring: Harley Quinn, Idris Elba, John Cena, Viola Davis

What it's about: A mostly new crew of criminals — save Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, for one — are recruited by Amanda Waller to carry out a dangerous mission.

Why it is one of the best David Dastmalchian movies: Dastmalchian’s second collaboration with James Gunn was the filmmaker’s own Task Force X-led story, The Suicide Squad, which saw him take on the role of eccentric DC villain, Polka-Dot Man.

How to watch The Suicide Squad

• Stream The Suicide Squad on Max
• Rent or buy The Suicide Squad on Amazon
• Buy The Suicide Squad on Blu-ray on Amazon

Dune (2021)

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson

What it's about: A war over the most valuable resource in the galaxy leads to tragic circumstances for a royal family after moving to a desert planet.

Why it is one of the best David Dastmalchian movies: Dastmalchian was bummed to miss out on appearing in Dune: Part Two after appearing in the first half of Denis Villeneuve’s epic adaptation of author Frank Herbert’s seminal sci-fi novel as Baron Harkonnen’s devious servant, Piter de Vries.

How to watch Dune

• Stream Dune on Max
• Rent or buy Dune on Amazon
• Buy Dune on Blu-ray on Amazon

Boston Strangler (2023)

Director: Matt Ruskin

Starring: Keira Knightley, Carrie Coon, David Dastmalchian

What it's about: Reporters Loretta McLaughlin and Jean Cole struggle with misogynist adversity while investigating a series of brutal murders in 1960s Massachusetts.

Why it is one of the best David Dastmalchian movies: Dastmalchian gives one of the most chilling performances in Hulu’s Boston Strangler cast as Albert DeSalvo, who was one of the prime individuals suspected of being the notorious serial killer.

How to watch Boston Strangler

• Stream Boston Strangler on Hulu

The Boogeyman (2023)

Director: Matt Ruskin

Starring: Chris Messina, Sophie Thatcher, Vivien Lyra Blair

What it's about: A teenage girl and her younger sister suspect that a sinister, otherworldly presence is haunting their home.

Why it is one of the best David Dastmalchian movies: In director Rob Savage’s adaptation of Stephen King’s short story, The Boogeyman, Dastmalchian has a brief, but pivotal role of a man who had his own tragic experience with the titular creature before it starts coming for our protagonists.

How to watch The Boogeyman

• Stream The Boogeyman on Tubi
• Rent or buy The Boogeyman on Amazon
• Buy The Boogeyman on Blu-ray on Amazon

Oppenheimer (2023)

Director: Christopher Nolan

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr.

What it's about: Renowned physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer is asked by the United States government to help end World War II by leading the development of the atomic bomb.

Why it is one of the best David Dastmalchian movies: Years after The Dark Knight, Dastmalchian would reunite with Christopher Nolan by appearing in the Oppenheimer cast as executive director of the United States Congress Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, William L. Borden.

How to watch Oppenheimer

• Stream Oppenheimer on Amazon Prime
• Buy Oppenheimer on Blu-ray on Amazon

There are more David Dastmalchian movies and TV shows where these came from. Keep an eye out for more of his upcoming horror movies, such as Mike Flanagan’s latest Stephen King adaptation, The Life of Chuck.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania generated mostly lukewarm responses when it opened in theaters in 2023. Peyton Reed’s superhero threequel was criticized for its story, pacing and sometimes lackluster-appearing CGI (which suffered due to another Marvel film). Some might also argue that the film didn’t take enough big swings, and it turns out Michael Douglas was hoping for at least one major development to take place. The veteran actor, who played Dr. Hank Pym across the trilogy, wanted his character to be killed off. And, upon hearing that, I’m reminded that I would’ve preferred a different character’s demise. 

What Did Michael Douglas Say About Hank Pym Being Killed Off?

The always-witty Michael Douglas has been known to share an honest thought or two when prompted. So fans probably shouldn’t have been too surprised when he shared his idea for Hank Pym’s fate while appearing on The View. Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin asked the 79-year-old actor about the claim that he wants Pym killed off when he appears on screen again. Douglas, in the YouTube clip, then proceeded to clarify that matter involving his Marvel Cinematic Universe-based alter ego: 

Had that come to pass, it wouldn’t have been the first time that Pym’s mortality had been toyed with. The ending of the first film in Peyton Reed’s MCU trilogy saw the doctor and former S.H.I.E.L.D. operative get shot. He did ultimately recover, though, and lived to play larger roles in the subsequent films. I wouldn’t have been totally against the idea of Pym buying the farm. However, I believe it’s one of his extended family members that really should’ve bitten the big one.

Another Ant-Man Character’s Death Would’ve Been More Ideal

In all honesty, I actually wouldn’t have been too bummed if Scott Lang had died at the end of the film. Around the film’s release, I actually laid out several reasons as to why I felt that way. Scott’s death could’ve done a lot for the narrative of his third solo outing and for the greater MCU as well. Having him die a heroic death while trying to protect the ones he loves could’ve brought his arc full circle. Said moment, if orchestrated well, may have even rivaled the passings of Black Widow, Iron Man and other dead Marvel characters. 

The development also could’ve further propelled Scott’s daughter, Cassie, to follow in his superhero footsteps. And, finally, had Lang perished at the hands of Kang the Conqueror, it might’ve sent a major message to the Avengers regarding just how dangerous the multiversal villain is. But Scott ultimately returned home from the Quantum Realm and reunited with his family during the end of Quantumania. To be clear, I’m not mad that the delightful thief-turned-superhero is still breathing and can appear in upcoming MCU movies. Though I just can’t help but wonder what his death would’ve done for the movie.

It’s also totally fine that Hank Pym is still around as well, and I wouldn’t mind seeing Michael Douglas reprise the role once more in a live-action production. There’s still plenty of stories to tell within the Marvel multiverse, and there’s surely still room for him to be utilized. And, if that happens, maybe Douglas will get his wish to have Hank get taken out.

For now, you can stream Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, its two predecessors and most of the other Marvel movies in order using a Disney+ subscription. Also, keep checking the 2024 movie schedule so you’ll know when the next MCU installment drops.

If you’re reading this, then you’re likely someone who pays close attention to news about upcoming Marvel movies and upcoming Marvel TV shows, and rightly so. Still, sometimes it’s nice to revisit past MCU events, specifically by watching the Marvel movies in order, whether you’re breaking out your own copies or streaming these features with a Disney+ subscription. And, of course, one of the main ways the MCU has stood out is by popularizing post-credits scenes, many of which lay groundwork for future projects.

For those of you who specifically have these scenes on the mind, but don’t have the time to go back and revisit any of these movies, don’t worry, we have you covered. Below is every MCU Marvel movie post-credits scene in order, with many of these flicks containing more than one scene to enjoy after the main story is finished.

It’s also important to mention first that neither The Incredible Hulk nor Avengers: Endgame had post-credits scenes, hence why they aren’t included here (although the latter movie does play the sound of a hammer striking metal, harkening back to when Tony Stark was constructing his first suit of armor).

Iron Man

After revealing to the world that he and Iron Man are one and the same, Tony Stark returns to his mansion to find Nick Fury waiting in the shadows. The director of S.H.I.E.L.D. broke into the genius billionaire playboy philanthropist’s home to pick his brain on the Avengers Initiative.

Iron Man 2

When Tony Stark and Nick Fury chatted at Randy’s donuts, the latter told the former he had bigger problems in the Southwest region to deal with than him. Later on, Phil Coulson relinquished his Stark babysitting duties because Fury was sending him to New Mexico. In the movie’s final minutes, we learned this was to track down a mysterious hammer embedded in the desert: Mjolnir, Thor’s weapon.

Thor

Nick Fury brings Dr. Erik Selvig to a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility to show him the Tesseract, a mysterious glowing cube that could potentially provide unlimited power to humanity. Unbeknownst to Fury, Selvig is being controlled by a still-alive Loki.

Captain America: The First Avenger

Some time after Steve Rogers awoke in the present day, Nick Fury approaches the super soldier about going on an important mission to save the world. This leads into a teaser for The Avengers.

The Avengers

Following Loki’s defeat at the hands of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, the mysterious entity known as The Other meets with his master, i.e. the being who approved giving the Asgardian God of Mischief his Chitauri army, the mind-controlling scepter and the promise of being able to rule Earth, all if he obtained the Tesseract. That master turns out to be Thanos, who merely grins when The Other tells him that to battle the Avengers would be to court death.

Iron Man 3

It turns out that Tony Stark has been recounting the events of Iron Man 3 to Bruce Banner, a.k.a. one of his new Avengers teammates. Unfortunately, Bruce fell asleep basically right as Tony started telling the story, making it clear he doesn’t have the temperament to be a therapist. Undeterred, and perhaps out of spite, Tony starts talking about the “original wound” he suffered when he was 14 years old.

Thor: The Dark World

Post-Credits Scene #1: With the Aether finally out of Malekith’s hands, Asgardian warriors Volstagg and Lady Sif give the weapon to Taneleer Titan, a.k.a. The Collector, for safekeeping. It’s here we learn that the Aether and Tesseract are both Infinity Stones, with Volstagg saying it’s not safe to keep two of those powerful artifacts in the same place. After the Asgardians leave, The Collector quietly says, “One down, five to go,” indicating his interest in collecting all six Infinity Stones.

Post-Credits Scene #2: As a complete 180 from the first Thor movie, The Dark World’s final moments see the the God of Thunder and Jane Foster reuniting on Earth. As they embrace, the Frost Beast from earlier in the movie is seen frolicking around nearby.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Post-Credits Scene #1: HYDRA leader Baron Wolfgang von Strucker is shown to have possession of Loki’s scepter from The Avengers. Strucker informs Dr. List that they’ll feed the location of other HYDRA facilities to Captain America and his “colorful friends” to keep them off the scent of their work, and we then see that the only two survivors of these experiments with the scepter are Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, who are respectively seen showing off their telekinesis and super speed.

Post-Credits Scene #2: Some time after rescuing Steve Rogers from the Potomac River, Bucky Barnes, now cut off from his HYDRA handlers, is seen at the Smithsonian visiting his own memorial.

Guardians of the Galaxy

The Collector is sitting in the ruins of his museum, which was destroyed when his slave Carina grabbed the Power Stone and triggered an explosion. Cosmo the Spacedog, who had been one of The Collector’s exhibits, licks his face, and Howard the Duck, another exhibit, proclaims how gross that is while sipping a drink.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

With Loki and Ronan the Accuser having failed to respectively procure the Space and Power Stones for him, Thanos decides to handle searching for the Infinity Stones personally, and he retrieves the Infinity Gauntlet from his vault.

Ant-Man

Post-Credits Scene #1: Hank Pym reveals to his daughter, Hope, an advanced prototype Wasp suit that he and his wife Janet had been working on before she disappeared. At a certain point, Hank realized that he and Janet had been working on the suit for Hope, and she’s more than willing to don it, declaring, “It’s about damn time!”

Post-Credits Scene #2: Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson are shown to have Bucky Barnes in their custody, but because of “the accords,” they can’t contact Tony Stark for help. Steve thinks they’re on their own, but Sam mentions that he knows a guy who could help, referring to Ant-Man, whom he came to blows with during the main story. An expanded version of this scene is later shown in Captain America: Civil War.

Captain America: Civil War

Post-Credits Scene #1: Bucky Barnes is cryogenically frozen by Wakandan scientists so they can safely erase the HYDRA programming in his mind. Steve Rogers warns King T’Challa that if the U.S. government learns where Bucky is, they’ll come for him, prompting T’Challa to confidently respond, “Let them try.” We then see that they are actually in Wakanda, the most technologically advanced nation on Earth.

Post-Credits Scene #2: While giving an excuse to his Aunt May about why he’s beaten up, Peter Parker discovers that the web-shooter Tony Stark gave him is emitting a red light. After May gives him an ice pack and leaves the room, Peter points the red light to the ceiling, and it’s revealed to be a Spider-symbol with a variety of icons, indicating the web-shooter comes with some special features.

Doctor Strange

Post-Credits Scene #1: Doctor Strange is meeting with Thor at the Sanctum Sanctorum. The God of Thunder and his brother, Loki, have come to Earth in search of Odin, but Strange is not happy about Loki hanging around, given what a threat he is. So, after Thor agrees that he and Loki will leave Earth once they find Odin, the Master of the Mystic Arts agrees find the All-Father. An expanded version of this scene is later shown in Thor: Ragnarok.

Post-Credits Scene #2: Karl Mordo corners Jonathan Pangborn, the man who directed Stephen Strange to find Kamar-Taj, and takes away the magical energy he uses to walk. With Pangborn rendered a paraplegic once more, Mordo informs him that there are “too many sorcerers.”

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Post-Credits Scene #1: Kraglin practices using Yondu’s whistle-controlled arrow, but it doesn’t go well, as he accidentally impales an offscreen Drax with it.

Post-Credits Scene #2: In honor of Yondu’s sacrifice, Stakar Ogord and his cohort Martinex reunite with with old Ravager buddies Charlie-27, Aleta Ogord, Krugarr and Mainframe. This team is based on the original version of the Guardians of the Galaxy from the comics.

Post-Credits Scene #3: High Priestess Ayesha informs one of her underlings that she’s created an artificial being named Adam who will exact revenge on the Guardians for her, and the birthing pod he’s being formed in is shown.

Post-Credits Scene #4: Years after the main events of this movie, Peter Quill expresses his disappointment that Groot, who’s now a teenager, hasn’t cleaned up his room.

Post-Credits Scene #5: The three Watchers walk away from their informant, played by Stan Lee, after growing bored with his stories. Unfortunately for him, they were supposed to be his lift home.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Adrian Toomes is confronted in prison by Mac Gargan, the weapons buyer from the Staten Island Ferry. Now boasting a major scar on his face, Gargan informs Toomes that he and some friends of his on the outside are wanting to exact revenge on Spider-Man and have heard that Toomes knows who the superhero really is, but Toomes denies this.

Thor: Ragnarok

Post-Credits Scene #1: As Loki is questioning Thor about if it’s a good idea for him to come to Earth with the rest of the Asgardians and their allies, their ship is intercepted by a gigantic spacecraft, which Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige identified as the Sanctuary II, Thanos’ vessel.

Post-Credits Scene #2: After being overthrown by his former subjects, Grandmaster confronts the angry crowds gathered around him in the outskirts of his realm on Sakaar. He declares that the revolution is a tie, since if he’s take out of the picture, they’ll have nothing to rebel against.

Black Panther

Post-Credits Scene #1: T’Challa appears in front of the United Nations to announce that Wakanda will be sharing its knowledge and resources with the rest of the world for the first time. When questioned about what a nation of farmers can offer the world, T’Challa simply smirks, indicating he’s about to reveal the existence of his country’s advanced technology.

Post-Credits Scene #2: Bucky Barnes, now unfrozen, is shown in a Wakandan village with Shuri, rehabilitating after having the HYDRA programming erased from his mind.

Avengers: Infinity War

Nick Fury and Maria Hill are shocked by the sudden destruction unfolding around them in a city, and soon they are among the half of the universe that Thanos erased from existence using the Infinity Stones. However, before he turns to dust, Fury manages to send out a signal using a spruced-up pager that displays the Captain Marvel symbol.

Ant-Man and the Wasp

Post-Credits Scene #1: Scott Lang is in the Quantum Realm gathering quantum energy that will be used to stabilize Ava Starr’s condition, and Hope van Dyne, Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne are monitoring him from our dimension. Unfortunately, all three are snapped away by Thanos, leaving Scott trapped.

Post-Credits Scene #2: The oversized ant that Scott was using to carry out his house arrest routine in order to fool the FBI continues to play drums while the world goes to hell from the Snap.

Captain Marvel

Post-Credits Scene #1: Post-Snap, some of the surviving Avengers are monitoring Nick Fury’s pager at Avengers Compound and trying to figure out who the signal is being sent to. Suddenly, the pager shuts down, and seconds later, Captain Marvel appears before them asking where Fury is.

Post-Credits Scene #2: Back in 1995, Goose vomits up the Tesseract in Nick Fury’s office.

Spider-Man: Far From Home

Post-Credits Scene #1: After swinging through New York City, Peter Parker (suited up as Spider-Man) and MJ watch a news report out in public where TheDailyBugle.net’s J. Jonah Jameson broadcasts doctored footage where Mysterio not only frames Peter for the Elemental attack on London and his death, but also exposes his secret identity to the world.

Post-Credits Scene #2: As Nick Fury and Maria Hill are driving, we learn that they’ve actually been the Skrulls Talos and Soren from Captain Marvel this entire time. Talos expresses embarrassment at having been embarrassed by Mysterio’s deception, and Soren convinces him to call the real Nick Fury and inform him what happened. Talos attempts to get Nick Fury to come back, but the spy hangs up in the middle of the call, and we see he’s been on “vacation” aboard a spaceship packed with other Skrulls.

Black Widow

Post-Avengers: Endgame, Yelena Belova visits Natasha Romanoff’s grave with her dog. The visit is interrupted by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, who’s come to give Yelena a new mission. Her target: Clint Barton, a.k.a. Hawkeye, whom Valentina says is responsible for Natasha’s death.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

Post-Credits Scene #1: Wong brings Shang-Chi and Katy to meet with Bruce Banner and Carol Danvers, both of whom are appearing as holograms. They ponder the origins of Shang-Chi’s rings, and then discover that they’re emitting some kind of beacon, but they don’t know where its message is going. After Carol and Bruce leave the meeting, Wong suggests Shang-Chi and Katy go home to get some rest, but the three of them instead go out for karaoke.

Post-Credits Scene #2: Although Shang-Chi’s sister, Xu Xialing, told him towards the end of the main story that she intended to disband the Ten Rings, we learn she’s instead taken control of the organization and is now training women alongside the men.

Eternals

Post-Credits Scene #1: Out in space, Thena, Makkari and Druig are visited aboard their ship by Eros, a.k.a. Starfox, and his companion Pip the Troll. Eros, who is a fellow Eternal and brother of Thanos, is aware that the trio’s surviving friends have been taken away by the Celestial Arishem, but he and Pip know where to find them.

Post-Credits Scene #2: After witnessing Sersi being taken away, Dane Whitman, whom she’s been dating, opens up a box containing the Ebony Blade. Before he grabs the sword though, a voice offscreen (confirmed in real life to be vampire hunter Blade) questions whether or not Dane is ready to wield it.

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Post-Credits Scene #1: Following Eddie Brock and the Venom symbiote being transported to the main MCU reality in the Venom: Let There Be Carnage post-credits scene, we see Eddie at a hotel bar in Mexico getting details about the world he’s in from the bartender, including learning about the Blip, Thanos and the Snap. Eddie decides to go to New York to track down Spider-Man, but he and Venom are soon returned to their universe, although a piece of the symbiote is left behind.

Post-Credits Scene #2: The first trailer for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is shown.

Alternate Post-Credits Scene #2: If you watch Spider-Man: No Way Home: The More Fun Stuff Version, you’ll be treated to an additional post-credits that replaces the Doctor Strange 2 trailer. It shows how the effects of Strange’s second spell, i.e. the one that erased people’s knowledge of Tom Holland’s Peter Parker, is affecting the lives of his former classmates.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Post-Credits Scene #1: Some time after developing that third eye and apparently getting used to it, Doctor Strange is approached by Clea, who informs him that his actions in this sequel have triggered an incursion into the Dark Dimension, prompting him to follow her back to that realm.

Post-Credits Scene #2: The spell that Strange cast to cause Pizza Poppa on Earth-838 to repeatedly punch himself finally wears off, to the man’s relief.

Thor: Love and Thunder

Post-Credits Scene #1: Dismayed at how the gods aren’t given the respect they once received, Zeus, who’s recovering from his run-in with Thor, decides that killing the Asgardian God of Thunder will make people fear their kind again. He tasks his son Hercules with finding Thor to carry out vengeance.

Post-Credits Scene #2: Jane Foster finds herself in Valhalla, the Asgardian afterlife where warriors who die in battle end up. She’s greeted outside its gates by Heimdall, who thanks her for looking after his son, Axl.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

While in Haiti, Shuri learns that before T’Challa died, her brother and Nakia had a son named Touissant, and they decided to have him raised away from Wakanda to avoid the “pressure of the throne.” That’s also why they didn’t attend T’Challa’s funeral, as it wasn’t time for the boy’s existence to become public. Shuri greets her nephew, who informs her that Toussiant is his Haitian name, but his Wakandan name is T’Challa, too.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Post-Credits Scene #1: Immortus, Rama-Tut and Centurion, three Kang variants from the Council of Kangs, discuss the recent demise of the movie’s main Kang the Conqueror. These Kangs decide because “they,” i.e. the MCU’s main heroes, are starting to “touch” the multiverse, it’s time for them to strike back so that all they’ve built won’t be destroyed. It’s then shown that the fortress where the Council is speaking is filled with thousands of other Kang variants.

Post-Credits Scene #2: The Loki variant and Mobius from the Loki TV series are seen at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair watching a presentation being given by Victor Timely, another Kang variant. Loki is terrified to see the man given his experience with He Who Remains, but Mobius doesn’t understand what the big deal is. An expanded version of this scene is later shown in the Loki Season 2 episode “1893.”

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

Post-Credits Scene #1: Rocket Raccoon and Groot (who’s now fully grown into his King Groot form) are shown on the planet Krylor undertaking a mission to protect townsfolk from stampeding beasts. They are accompanied by Kraglin, Cosmo, Adam Warlock, his pet Blurp and Phyla, with this being the new Guardians of the Galaxy lineup.

Post-Credits Scene #2: Peter Quill enjoys breakfast with his grandpa Jason, agreeing to mow the lawn of a woman Jason knows, though Peter thinks the woman’s son, who’s 45 years old, should help. Jason, who’s reading a newspaper that includes a story about Kevin Bacon being kidnapped (referencing the events of The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special) says, “Don’t get me started,” prompting Peter to want to hear more. It’s then teased that “The Legendary Star-Lord will return.”

The Marvels

Monica Rambeau awakens in an infirmary, and next to her is an alternate version of her mother, Maria, who goes by Binary. The X-Man Hank McCoy, a.k.a. Beast, is also in the room, and he informs Monica that she’s been transported to another universe. After Beast leaves, Binary asks who Monica is, prompting her to say, “Oh shit.”

Deadpool And Wolverine

Post-Credits Scene #1: While not a scene per say, a touching tribute for the 20th Century Fox era of Marvel movies plays to the tune of Green Day's "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)." It's only appropriate, as without this era, we wouldn't have Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool and various other memorable portrayals of classic superheroes and super villains.

Post-Credits Scene #2: Deadpool pulls up footage in the TVA headquarters that shows Johnny Storm saying all the bad things about Cassandra Nova that the Merc with the Mouth says he did. Ok, so that part of his story checks out, but The Human Torch being killed is still his fault.

Captain America: Brave New World

Sam Wilson visits Samuel Sterns at The Raft, the same place where now-former President Thaddeus Ross is being incarcerated. Sterns warns Sam that there is an attack forthcoming from other worlds, and that he should prepare for "the others." Meaning, the main MCU reality will soon be colliding with the Marvel multiverse.

As each new Marvel movie comes out, we’ll let you know here if there are any post-credits events to go over. Meanwhile, if you’re looking to expand your horizons beyond the MCU, look over all of the upcoming superhero movies.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is known for constantly growing, thanks to movies in theaters and additional content that's streaming with a Disney+ subscription. But the streaming service has had some box office struggles, with projects like Ant-Man 3 failing to make money. And after recent Marvel rumors that the franchise won't be getting another sequel, star Paul Rudd addressed a possible fourth solo flick in the shared universe. Let's break it all down.

There have been a number of MCU box office fails lately, including Eternals as well as The Marvels, which is the lowest grossing movie in the shared universe's history. Fans are wondering how this might affect upcoming Marvel movies, especially established franchises like Ant-Man. Paul Rudd recently spoke to THR about what's coming next for Scott Lang, and he said:

There you have it. It sounds like Rudd is totally clueless about what's next for his MCU role, and whether or not a fourth Ant-Man movie might come together. We'll just have to wait and see if the studio moves forward, or if Kevin Feige and company use Scott Lang in other projects like Avengers 5. 

This comment by Rudd might fuel rumors about the studio dropping the Ant-Man franchise moving forward. Those of us who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order know that Thor is the only character who has gotten four solo movies. We'll just hav to see whether or not Ant-Man joins him in this exclusive club. 

Rudd's comments might not be surprising for hardcore Marvel fans, who know just how tight security is at the beloved studio. Even if he knew what was coming next for Ant-Man, he wouldn't be able to share. Still, Rudd echoes how other actors like Elizabeth Olsen have shared how in the dark they are regarding the studio's plans. 

The pressure is on for Marvel Studios to find a new strategy and a way back to its former glory. The shared universe has had struggles in the wake of Avengers: Endgame, although there were a few successful projects like Guardians 3. And now there are countless rumors about what's coming next. 

One popular rumor indicates that Marvel is toying with an Avengers movie which will bring back OGs like Iron Man and Black Widow. That franchise seems to be in particular jeopardy, especially after Jonathan Majors was fired as Kang, and the next movie no longer being titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. 

The next MCU movie hitting theaters is Deadpool & Wolverine on July 26th. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie premiere list to plan your next trip to the theater. 

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a well-oiled machine over the years, consistently releasing movies in theaters and additional content for those with a Disney+ subscription. But despite this, there have been a few notable box office bombs lately, raising concerns about superhero fatigue. And that financial situation seemingly had an effect on upcoming Marvel movies, as a new MCU rumor claims that three different franchises aren't getting new sequels. This comes shortly after Bob Iger referenced killing unnamed projects. 

The beloved shared universe had had trouble finding record-breaking success since the release of Avengers: Endgame, and there are a few prime examples of box office failure. Ant-Man: and The Wasp: Quantumania, Eternals, and The Marvels bombed at the box office. And according to a new report by scooper Daniel Richtman (via our sister site Tech Radar), those three titles will no longer be getting sequels.

This is still a rumor at this point, but the report definitely is going to turn heads among MCU fans. Richtman claims Eternals 2 is on indefinite hold, after it failed to perform critically and financially, despite Eternals' cast including celebs like Barry Keoghan and Angelina Jolie. And a sequel reportedly won't be part of the plans for Phases Five and Six.

The same report also indicated that Marvel isn't moving forward with plans for either Ant-Man 4 or Captain Marvel 3. This doesn't mean that Paul Rudd and Brie Larson won't appear in future projects like Avengers movies, but they're seemingly not getting any additional solo flicks anymore. Instead, the studio reportedly wants to focus on project that are less risky, and will definitely make money at the box office.

Ant-Man 3's box office failure definitely gave the fans reason to pause, and seemingly confirmed a negative trend for the shared universe as a whole. Because while Eternals introduced a new team of characters, the audience already loved Paul Rudd's Scott Lang. And when The Marvels became the MCU's worst performing movie ever, the public expected some response from the studio. 

These rumors come after Bob Iger referenced killing upcoming projects during an investor conference Q&A. That quote read:

This seemingly gives extra weight to the previously mentioned rumors about the studio killing sequels for Ant-Man, Captain Marvel, and Eternals. This report is sure to inspire a strong reaction from Marvel fans, who might want to see those stories continued. Indeed, there's been chatter for years about how Eternals ending left a frozen Celestial sticking out of the planet. 

Since this is still a rumor, we should probably wait until official word from Marvel and/or Disney comes to the public. But it definitely would make financial sense of the studio made these tough calls after so many box office disappointments.

The next Marvel movie hitting theaters is Deadpool 3 on July 26th. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has always been home to incredible superhero action, but the franchise is based on something called the "comic" book, after all, so it wouldn't be fair to the medium if the movies weren't also quite funny. Luckily, humor has never been lacking in the MCU.

From Tony Stark's endless quips to Loki's sarcasm to Thor's obliviousness, there have been some absolutely hilarious lines delivered throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Choosing the funniest Marvel lines is a bit like trying to pick the best Marvel movie, but as in all things, we try.

"Tony Stark Was Able To Build This In A Cave, With A Box Of Scraps!"-  Iron Man 

Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark is always good for a one-liner but what may be the best line in the original Iron Man comes from Jeff Bridges' Obadiah Stane, when he gets angry that his scientists can't recreate Tony's miniaturized Arc Reactor. When they tell them what he wants can't be done, he screams at them that Tony did it, and under less than optimal conditions.

"Don't Make Me Hungry. You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Hungry" -  The Incredible Hulk 

The Incredible Hulk isn't exactly the funniest of the MCU movies, but it has its moments. One of them is both a great line and a fun reference to the original Incredible Hulk TV series. When confronting some thugs making his workplace dangerous Bruce Banner attempts the classic "Don't make me angry..." line, but his Portuguese isn't that great and he gets a word wrong.

"Sir, I'm Gonna Have To Ask You To Exit The Donut." - Iron Man 2

In Iron Man 2 Tony Stark, fearing his own death goes a bit of a bender, which ends with him eating a box of donuts while sitting inside the famous giant donut of Randy's Donuts in southern California. When Nick Fury arrives on the scene, he (mostly) politely, asks him to please come down from there.

"Know This Son Of Coul." - Thor

Many Scandinavian languages still have very traditional naming practices, so it makes sense that Thor, a Norse god, would understand that a man named Agent Phil Coulson, must, obviously, be the son of a man named Coul.

"You Don't Have One Of Those, Do You?" - Captain America: The First Avenger 

Captain America was the first successful attempt to use the super soldier serum, but he wasn't the first one to undergo the procedure. When Steve Rodgers (Chris Evans) and Bucky Barnes first discover what the serum did to Red Skull, Bucky has to ask his friend if also has a bright red monster face under his skin.

"That Man Is Playing Galaga! Thought We Wouldn't Notice, But We Did." - The Avengers

Tony Stark has some great moments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but one of the best is when he holds court over the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier, and calls out a member of the staff for apparently playing video games on his computer while all of New York is being attacked by aliens.

"You're In A Relationship With Me. Everything Will Never Be Okay." - Iron Man 3

Tony Stark may have been the MCU's first hero, but he was a guy who brought a lot of baggage with him wherever he went. Speaking with his girlfriend Pepper Potts, Tony made it clear that there was never going to be anything like normal when it came to him.

"This Is So Unlike You, Brother. So Clandestine. Are You Sure You Wouldn't Rather Just Punch Your Way Out?" - Thor: The Dark World

Loki and Thor may have grown up as brothers, but they had very different ways of handling any given situation. They were very good at giving each other a hard time, however, as Loki did when Thor was being uncharacteristic in his approach.

"Don't Look At Me. I Do What He Does, Just Slower." -  Captain America: The Winter Soldier 

The opening of Captain America: The Winter Soldier introduced us to Sam Wilson, who Steve Rogers literally ran circles around. Later, when Nick Fury is looking for support, Falcon assures Fury that he and Captain America are on the same page, even if their speed varies.

"Nothing Goes Over My Head. My Reflexes Are Too Fast. I Would Catch It." -  Guardians of the Galaxy  

Drax of the Guardians of the Galaxy is from a race that takes all speech perfectly literally. This leads to a number of great exchanges, but the best being a discussion of exactly this element of Drax, who responds to the idea that a statement might go over his head.

"The City Is Flying. We're Fighting An Army Of Robots. And I have A Bow And Arrow. None Of This Makes Sense." - Avengers: Age of Ultron

Hawkeye is the butt of more than a few jokes in the MCU, being the member of the Avengers with the most unique choice of weapons. In Avengers: Age of Ultron Hawkeye is, at the very least, aware that he is very much in over his head.

"Baskin-Robbins Always Finds Out!" - Ant-Man

When Scott Lang looks for work after leaving prison, he doesn't tell his new bosses he's an ex-con. Unfortunately, as the manager says, and as his friend Luis later confirms, "Baskin Robbins always finds out."

"Anybody On Our Side Hiding Any Shocking And Fantastic Abilities They'd Like To Disclose? I'm Open To Suggestions." - Captain America: Civil War

When all our favorite heroes fight each other in Captain America: Civil War each side tries to find different ways to get the upper hand by enlisting heroes the other side won't be ready for. Ant-Man is a largely unknown factor, and the fact he can also reverse his abilities and grow massive, is a big win for team Cap, leading Tony to ask if his team can do anything to match it.

"Just Wong? Like Adele? Or Aristotle? Drake, Bono, Eminem…" - Doctor Strange

The relationship between Doctor Strange and Wong has certainly come a long way since the two were first introduced. When Strange first met Wong he found it interesting the man only had the one name. Was it a first name or a last name? It didn't seem to matter. 

“I’m Mary Poppins, Y’all!” - Guardians Of The Galaxy, Vol. 2

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 has a number of great lines that will make you laugh, but none are quite as good as Yondu's tough guy reaction to be compared to Mary Poppins, which was a last-minute addition to the script. He probably wouldn't be that thrilled if he knew who she really was, but to be fair, Mary Poppins is cool.

"So…You Got Detention." -  Spider-Man: Homecoming 

One of the funniest bits of the first MCU Spider-Man movie was the ways that Captain America had been incorporated into many parts of high school. There seemed to be a Cap-hosted educational video for everything, including detention.

"He's A Friend From Work!" -  Thor: Ragnarok  

Thor: Ragnarok may have had the Asgardian's name in the title, but it was as much a Hulk movie as it was a Thor movie, and the big green guy had an amazing entrance into the Grandmaster's battle area that was only made by better by Thor calling him "A friend from work," which I guess is accurate, but a weird way to refer to the Avengers.

"You Cannot Talk One More Word, And I Will Feed You To My Children! I'm Kidding. We're Vegetarians." - Black Panther

M'Baku follows in a long line of secondary characters who steal every scene of the Marvel movie they are in. We don't really get to know him or his people until the end of the movie, so when he threatens to eat somebody, you tend to believe him, until he drops the punchline.

"Dude, You're Embarrassing Me In Front Of The Wizards." - Avengers: Infinity War

Is there anything worse than meeting wizards for the first time and then having your friend not look impressive in front of them? I didn't think so.

"You Want A Juice Box And Some String Cheese?" - Ant-Man and the Wasp 

In Ant-Man and the Wasp Scott Lang gets stuck with a malfunctioning suit, making it difficult for him to control his size. He grows and shrinks to random sizes at random times. This leads to a fantastic moment where Michael Douglas' Hank Pym asks a diminutive Scott, about the size of a grade-schooler, if he'd like a snack.

"If Toast Is Cut Diagonally, I Can't Eat It." - Captain Marvel

Nick Fury is one of the toughest people in the entire MCU, which makes the admission in Captain Marvel that he won't eat toast if it's cut diagonally incredibly bizarre. I guess we all have our quirks. 

"Honestly, Until This Exact Second I Thought You Were A Build-A Bear" - Avengers: Endgame

While Avengers: Infinity War is when most of the MCU's heroes meet, there are some that don't actually cross paths until Avengers: Endgame. You might not even realize that Iron Man and Rocket have never met until Tony reacts to the first thing the Guardian of the Galaxy says to him. 

 "I Thought That You Could Sense That With Your Peter-Tingle." - Spider-Man: Far From Home 

The first MCU Spider-Man movie doesn't even deal with the traditional power of Spidey Sense, so they never give it a name. By the sequel we learn that he does have the ability, but has never given it an official designation, leaving his Aunt May to come up with her own ideas.

 “This Will Be A Cool Way To Die.” - Black Widow 

Yelena from Black Widow has a very different way of looking at things than most people. When most of us see a massive avalanche that's about to bury us in snow, we run away, Yelena immediately realizes how cool it will be to die this way, because she's probably going to die this way.

"That's When I Knew. If They Can Teach Those Monkeys To Act That Brilliantly, Just Imagine What I Could Bring To The World." - Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings 

Trevor Slattery first appeared in Iron Man 3 as the fake Mandarin. He returns in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and immediately becomes one of the best parts of it. Almost everything he says is funny, mostly because he's an idiot. Including this gem which makes it clear he doesn't even know how movies work.

" Fall Collection, IKEA. Ass." - Eternals 

Eternals may be the least quipy of the MCU, but that doesn't mean it's entirely without funny lines. When the team tracks down Phastos, who is living happily among humans, Ikaris can't believe it and assumes he's built a safe house for himself. He accidentally destroys a table, which it turns out wasn't made of vibranium after all. 

"The Avengers?!? That’s Great!… What Is That?!" - Spider-Man: No Way Home 

Spider-Man: No Way Home brings together three different actors who all played Spider-Man in three different franchises. While they all have a lot in common, only one of them has the Avengers. During the Spider-Man: No Way Home ending, one of the Peter Parkers thinks that being an Avengers sounds cool, even if he's not really sure what that means.

"Yeah, But Given The Choice Between The Archer With The Mohawk And Several Bug-Themed Crime Fighters, Or One Of The Most Powerful Magic Wielders On The Planet, It's An Easy Call." - Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness 

When Doctor Strange needs magical help in Multiverse of Madness, he goes to Wanda Maximoff. While she suggests he could have looked for assistance elsewhere, he points out that most of the rest of the available heroes don't have the particular skill set he's looking for.

"I Love Being King And I Love My People, But It's All Meetings And Ravenmail And Meetings That Could Have Been Ravenmail" - Thor: Love And Thunder  

At the end of Avengers: Endgame Thor hands the throne of New Asgard to Valkyrie. Overall, she seems to have adapted to the job quite well by the time of Thor: Love and Thunder, but she has the same problems with her day job that so many of us have.

"A Colonizer In Chains. Now I Have Seen Everything." - Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 

In the first Black Panther, Shuri refers to Everett Ross as "Colonizer" and the nickname apparently sticks. In the sequel he's been upgraded to her "favorite colonizer," but during the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ending, Okoye has a laugh at his expense when Ross has been arrested and she sees the handcuffs.

“Dad. A Guy Dressed Like A Bee Tried To Kill Me In My Room When I Was Six. I’ve Never Had A Normal Life..” - Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania 

Cassie Lang has had an interesting life throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She's all grown up by the time of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, but she clearly remembers where it all started for her. It's honestly surprising she's as well-adjusted as she is.

“Kill One Guy Who No One Loves.” - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 

Drax is very willing to do violence to get his way. This even though Peter Quill tries to talk him down. Initially, Drax wants to kill everybody who gets in their way, then he tries to bargain down to killing one person that nobody likes. 

“STOP RUNNING AND LET THE KITTENS EAT YOU. YOU WILL BE FINE.” - The Marvels 

 When Nick Fury's SA.B.E.R. headquarters needs to abandon ship quickly, during The Marvels ending, the fastest way to feed his entire staff to fuzzy little flerkins. Of course, the actual staff has a bit of a problem with this, leading to this hilarious announcement over the PA system. 

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been going for years and it's not stopping anytime soon. There are plenty of upcoming Marvel movies that will continue to provide us with great lines for years to come.

The MCU has a ton of fans, who tune in to each new movie and the shows that are streaming with a Disney+ subscription. The franchise's popularity was arguably never higher than during the release of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, where the entire shared universe was battling against Thanos and his forces. In between the movies a viral fan theory that Ant-Man could kill the Mad Titan by shrinking, jumping into his anus, and then growing. Turns out that infamous Thanos butthole theory actually has comic-book precedent, but there's a big reason why it didn't work.

Those of us who have watched the Marvel movies in order know the chatter about Ant-Man possibly being able to make Thanos explode from the inside out has gone on for years, with even Paul Rudd weighing in on the concept. But ScreenRant pointed out that the hero attempted this strategy in the comics, and it didn't exactly work out.

In Marvel comics, Ant-Man tries to use the shrink-and-grow technique on Luke Cage. Rather than entering the hero's body through his butt, he instead shrinks and hides in his food. But Cage has steel skin, and his insides are just as strong as his exterior. So Ant-Man was unable to grow and kill the street-level Marvel hero.

Obviously Luke Cage and Thanos are very different power levels, but the concept behind the Ant-Man/Thanos' butt theory was the same. Thanos is super strong, with Iron Man only able to break his skin and form a very small cut during the battle on Titan in Avengers: Infinity War. So smart money says that Paul Rudd's signature Avenger wouldn't have fared well if he attempted to kill Thanos in his unconventional way during Endgame. 

In the end, Ant-Man never actually faced Thanos in battle on the big screen. While he was a key factor to Endgame's Time Heist and that final fight, he never actually came to blows with the Mad Titan. That honor went to Iron Man, Captain America, and Thor, at least until the Avengers were assembled in the portal sequence. 

Especially given how its been disproven in the comics, it feels all the more unlikely that we'll ever see Ant-Man trying to enter someone's body in any upcoming Marvel movies. But I wouldn't be surprised if someone ends up suggesting it for comedic purposes in something like Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. 

It should be interesting to see what happens next for Paul Rudd's Scott Lang, especially following the disappointing box office performance of Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania. The MCU is in a strange place, and only time will tell if/how it recovers.

The next Marvel movie hitting theaters is Deadpool 3 on July 26th. Be sure to skim the 2024 movie release dates to plan your trips to the movies this year. 

When an actor is cast as a superhero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it comes with a lot of expectations. Not only do you have to satisfy die-hard fans who have a deep love for their favorite characters, but you also have to get in good shape to fill out their superhero costumes. While actors like Chris Hemsworth and Scarlett Johansson make it look easy, it takes a lot of work to get in superhero shape. Paul Rudd learned that the hard way when he was cast as Ant-Man. The actor even working out like Chris Hemsworth while training for Avengers: Endgame, but he was still unsuccessful in getting his ideal body.

The Clueless icon recently appeared on the Off Menu podcast, where he opened up about starring in the MCU as one of the funniest characters amongst Earth's Mightiest Heroes. He also spoke about how much hard work goes into making a superhero film. One of the most difficult parts was apparently the diet and exercise routine, which he needed to pull off that shirtless scene in 2015's Ant-Man. Even though he was putting in the work, he wasn’t achieving the results he sought out. He said:

While Paul Rudd may think he wasn’t in “Avengers” shape, many would likely disagree. He shocked the world when the first photos from Ant-Man were released, and he looked absolutely ripped. He was in amazing physical shape and was even named People's "Sexiest Man Alive" a few years ago. However, I can understand why one might feel a bit small when standing next to Chris Hemsworth while he's in character as Thor or not. Rudd further watching Hemsworth while they were working on Endgame:

Apparently, the “Hemsworth physique” proved unachievable, as the This is 40 lead admitted that he had tried to work out like his co-star and still found it impossible to achieve the same results. He said:

Chris Hemsworth -- as great as he is -- doesn’t feel like a fair standard for any actor to hold themselves to and, luckily, it wasn’t an expectation for the Ant-Man star. Paul Rudd was perfect for the role of Scott Lang, and I don’t think anyone expected the comedic actor to have the same physicality. Aside from his workout routine, the Thor: Love and Thunder actor also is naturally big. Standing at 6'3," Hemsworth has been surfing his entire life and has been starring in the Marvel films since his late 20s. He definitely had a head start -- and also may even just be a unicorn.

Thankfully, Ant-Man’s role within the MCU doesn’t require Paul Rudd to be in Thor-shape, and the costume design makes it easier for the actor to have an easier transition between MCU films. Robert Downey Jr. didn’t have the same physical expectation as his co-stars either, and that may have contributed to his ability to make Marvel movies as long as he did. Hopefully, this is the same for Rudd, and we continue to see him continue to play his iconic character even as we move into new phases of the cinematic universe.

You can see the beloved star in his latest MCU film, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (an entry on the schedule of 2023 new movie releases), which is currently streaming now for Disney+ subscribers. For more information on other projects heading to theaters in the near future, check out our release schedule for upcoming Marvel movies. 

Lots of people who love the Marvel Cinematic have never read any of the comic books that the characters are based on, and if you wanted to start now, it would be tough, as some of these characters have been around for the better part of a century. Of course, you can't tell stories for that long without some of those stories getting a little strange. Here are some of the wildest facts from the comics about your favorite Marvel characters.

 Iron Man - His Armor Fell In Love With Him

Tony Stark is a technical genius, having designed his Iron Man armor himself. Stark also knows a thing or two about artificial intelligence, so the fact that he created a sentient Iron Man suit powered by AI isn't that surprising. However, things got slightly out of hand when the armor fell in love with Stark. It loved him so much that it ultimately sacrificed itself to save his life.

 Captain America - Became A Werewolf 

Captain America has been through a lot, not the least of which being frozen in ice for a few decades, but one of the strangest occurrences took place in the early 1990s when Cap was transformed into a werewolf. Steve Rogers was investigating apparent werewolf killings, because werewolves are a thing in the Marvel Universe, when he was attacked and captured. When he awoke, he discovered he'd been given a werewolf serum. His own super soldier serum kept him from succumbing to the worst of being a werewolf until he was transformed back later. 

Black Widow - Cloned 

Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow was killed off in the MCU, but if they want to bring her back, they can just do what they did in the comics. After Black Widow was killed in the comics by an evil Captain America (long story) Marvel brought her back by simply cloning her. Apparently, the Red Room where Natasha Romanoff was trained  keeps clones around for just such an emergency.

 Hawkeye - Originally A Villain 

As one of the core members of the Avengers one may think Clint Barton has always been a... well, straight shooter, but Hawkeye started his career as a villain. As a young man, he met Black Widow when she was still living her life as a trained assassin and thief. He got caught up in a theft of Tony Stark's tech, leading him to become a wanted man. 

The Incredible Hulk - Last Man on Earth 

Turning into the Incredible Hulk has a lot of significant downsides for Bruce Banner, but if there is one (maybe) upside, it's that he doesn't have to worry about dying. In the Marvel Comic simply titled Hulk: The End it is supposed that Hulk is functionally immortal, and as such, even after the rest of the world has been destroyed by nuclear holocaust, Bruce Banner lives. In the end, even the Banner portion of Hulk passes away, but Hulk lives on, truly alone. 

Thor - Turned Into A Frog 

When you hang around with the God of Mischief, you have to expect some shenanigans, and Loki certainly delivered during a small Thor arc in the 1960s. Using some magic power he acquired Loki hit a human woman with a transmutation beam, and when that woman later kissed Thor, he went all Princess and the Frog and was transformed into a frog. 

Nick Fury - Was An airshow performer 

It's hard to imagine Nick Fury as anything other than the all-around badass that he is both in the comics and in the movies, but before any of that, Fury was an entertainer. Fury and a friend joined a traveling air show, where Nick performed a wing-walking act. It was while doing this that he met members of the British military, who recruited him, starting him on the path to being the secret agent we know.

Loki - Can't Swim

Loki is the God of Mischief and seems to be all-powerful. There's little that he can't do, transforming himself to look like anything or anyone he chooses, and yet he can't swim. In the early comics, it was revealed that Loki's powers do not work when he's submerged in water and that apparently means that he's so weak he can't actually swim.

Black Panther - Beat Up The Fantastic Four To Test Himself 

It's not all that uncommon for Marvel heroes to fight each other. It happens for all sorts of reasons, but Black Panther's debut in Marvel Comics involves him tricking the Fantastic Four into coming to Wakanda so he can test himself against them. The test went well, he beat all four of them single-handedly.

Doctor Strange - Met Benjamin Franklin’s Ghost 

When you're a Sorcerer Supreme it's perhaps not that unusual to meet famous people or their ghosts. Doctor Strange had a run-in with the ghost of Benjamin Franklin (alongside Deadpool). What makes this notable is that the two didn't get along because Strange had previously time-traveled, and met the living Franklin, who had put the moves on Strange's girlfriend Clea.  

Wanda Maximoff - Imagined Her Children (Sort Of)

Few of the strangest things to happen to comic book characters have actually made their way into the Marvel movies or TV shows, but one element that did was the children of Wanda Maximoff and Vision, who, in both the movies and comics, don't actually exist in the strictest sense, as they were created magically by Wanda and once the magic stopped they went away. Except in the comics, they eventually come back. 

Ant-Man - Court-Martialed For Unnecessary Violence, And Hit His Wife 

The first Ant-Man, Hank Pym, may have technically been a superhero, but he wasn't a very nice guy. In a 1981 comic Pym is court-martialed for unnecessary violence, after he beat up a villain who had already been captured. Pym also planned to attack the Avengers with a robot that only he would be able to defeat. As part of that storyline, a frustrated Hank backhands Janet Van Dyne across the face. Michael Douglas plays him much nicer.

 Wasp - Hooked Up With Magneto 

In a case that feels like textbook Stockholm Syndrome, an issue of the Secret Wars comic sees Wasp, who had previously been a prisoner of Magneto, get it on with the supervillain. Apparently Magneto has really nice eyes. Who knew?

Vision - Built From The Original Human Torch 

You might be familiar with the Human Torch who is a member of the Fantastic Four, but that character is actually the second to carry that name. The original Human Torch was a World War II contemporary of Captain America and wasn't actually human, he was an android. In fact, it was the body of the original Human Torch that was used when the android Vision was created decades later.

Winter Soldier - He Rescued Wolverine, Then Killed His Wife 

The Winter Soldier spent decades being thawed out to perform various tasks before being put back on ice, as such he ends up playing a part in many key moments in Marvel Comics history. He was actually at the Weapon X facility and he aided Wolverine in escaping from it. Their next encounter would be more heartbreaking, as the Winter Soldier was responsible for the death of Wolverine's wife Itsu.

She-Hulk - Briefly Became The Iron Fist And Also Black Widow 

Superhero team-ups are always a fun moment for fans, but while She-Hulk has had her share of chances to work alongside other heroes. She's also just... become them. In 2020 she picked up the Iron Fist ankh and briefly gained the powers of the Iron Fist. This was after the Infinity Wars comic event, in which She-Hulk was physically and mentally merged with Black Widow, giving her the powers of both. 

Wolverine - Went Feral

Wolverine has always been a character capable of great violence, but in the 1990s Wolverine lost the adamantium in his skeleton, and it was discovered that the metal in his body actually held back part of his mutation. Without it, Logan eventually became little more than a slobbering beast.

Deadpool - Beat Up Zombie Abraham Lincoln 

Deadpool is such a wild character that it's difficult to come up with any wild facts that actually seem that wild... for Deadpool, but he did once beat up a zombie of Abraham Lincoln, and no other Marvel hero can say that.

 Falcon - Telepathically Linked To Birds 

The Falcon of the MCU can fly but the Falcon of Marvel Comics is into birds in a big way. His sidekick Redwing is an actual falcon, and the two are closer than you might think, because the human Falcon has a telepathic link to his flying friend, and is able to forge similar psychic links with other birds.

Ms. Marvel - Fought A Villain From A Video Game

It's always satisfying when you beat a difficult boss in a video game, but Ms. Marvel likely felt even better when she defeated Doc.X. Originally created for MMORPG video game in the comics, Doc.X becomes a computer virus, and a sentient one. Able to take over nearly any electronic device, Doc.X was a significant foe for Ms. Marvel, but when it tried to leap out of the digital world Ms. Marvel took it down in a single punch.

Daredevil - Had To Retrieve His Father’s Body From Mole Man

Supervillains get up to some pretty shady stuff, but grave-robbing is pretty low, even for them. But in a series of Daredevil comics the Mole Man goes on a grave robbing spree, which draws in the Man Without Fear when the Mole Man steals the corpse of Matt Murdock's father. In a comic series that has no shortage of grim storylines, few have been grimmer. 

Moon Knight - Might Just Be Insane 

Moon Knight has a lot going on. He has the powers of an ancient Egyptian god, and he also suffers from multiple personality disorder. The sanity of the character has always been in question in the comics, but at various points, it's been suggested that maybe all of it is a delusion and Moon Knight has no superpowers, doesn't talk to gods, and is just completely insane.

The Punisher - Became A Black Man 

A lot of ideas in comics that may have seemed like a good idea at the time don't age well. Such is the case with this Punisher story that sees Frank Castle escape from prison, but only after having his face scarred by Jigsaw. Frank goes to a shady surgeon to get plastic surgery so that nobody will recognize him, and, uh, it works, as he transforms the Punisher into a Black man. This was undone quickly.

 Blade - Fought Dracula 

Blade is a vampire hunter so maybe it shouldn't be that wild that he has, on more than one occasion, fought the vampire, in Dracula himself. Still, it's a bit wild to see Bram Stoker's creation from over 100 years ago fighting a guy who looks like Wesley Snipes. 

Magneto - Ripped Out Wolverine’s Adamantium From His Bones

From the "why didn't you do that sooner department" we have Magneto, the mutant who has total control of metal, and has been fighting Wolverine for decades, but it wasn't until the '90s that he thought to just yank all the metal right off his bones. Thanks to Wolverine's healing factor, it doesn't kill him, though we do discover that Wolverine's claws are naturally occurring bone, and not complete adamantium, as had been previously believed. 

 Ghost Rider - Became The King Of The Underworld 

Marvel's Ghost Rider contains the spirit of a trapped demon, so it's no surprise that Johnny Blaze, the main incarnation of the character, feels at home in the Underworld. Blaze was killed in a battle with Mephisto (Marvel's Satan) in a 2018 comic, which resulted in him going to the land of the dead. Since Mephisto was busy trying to take over the living world, Ghost Rider had little difficulty in becoming the new king.

Spider-Man - Killed MJ With Irradiated Semen

Spider-Man: Reign was a limited series comic that sees an alternate universe web-head, decades in the future, come out of retirement. A lot has happened to this Spidey in the last few decades, including the death of Mary Jane, which we eventually learn came about due to cancer she contracted by having sex with her husband. Apparently, Spider-Man's blood wasn't the only thing that was radioactive. 

 Professor X - Had His Brain Stolen By Red Skull 

If you're going to steal somebody's brain, it makes sense to get one that belongs to somebody really smart. That's apparently the strategy of the clone of Red Skull who, in an attempt to gain mutant abilities, has his minions steal the corpse of the recently deceased Professor X so he can graft the dead man's mutant brain on his own body, thus gaining Xavier's mental powers.

Namor - Fought With Captain America In WWII

Namor is something of an anti-hero in Marvel Comics. He has little love for the surface world. But he has even less love for Nazis, as Namor has been an ally of Captain America since WWII, the two fought together in the superhero team called the Invaders before Captain America was frozen in ice.

Rogue - Stole Her Powers From Captain Marvel 

The X-Men member Rogue can fly and has super strength in the comics, though she doesn't have those abilities in all adaptations. This is because Rogue used to be a villain and in a battle with Captain Marvel, used her absorbing power to gain Marvel's strength and flight. It put Carol Danvers in a coma, and while the power Rogue gains usually faded, these did not.

Captain Marvel - Gave Birth To The Man Who Sexually Assaulted Her

In an Avengers comic from 1964, Carol Danvers discovers she is pregnant, but has no idea how it happened. She gives birth, and the baby grows at an alarming rate. He eventually becomes a man, called Marcus. It's revealed that Marcus, trapped in Limbo, manipulated Carol and impregnated her with himself (comics are weird) in order to escape limbo, then wiped her memory of the whole affair. The even wilder thing is that, at the time, nobody seemed to have a problem with any of this, leading to a significant rift between Carol and the Avengers. 

 Venom - Joined The Guardians Of The Galaxy 

The Guardians of the Galaxy were already a motley crew, but they were certainly more so when Venom became a member of the team. This was when Venom had bonded with Flash Thompson, not Eddie Brock, who is most associated with the character, but that only makes the situation weirder.

Marvel Comics is always coming up with new stories, so we can be sure that even wilder things will be happening to our favorite characters down the road. 

Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was filled to the brim with eye-popping, interdimensional shenanigans. But aside from the spectacle, the threequel also established some interesting subplots for its characters. One that was particularly humorous was Scott Lang’s newfound fame as a local celebrity. That status was punctuated by the fact that he even wrote a best-selling memoir, Look Out for The Little Guy. Now, anyone who’s had an actual desire to read it can do just that, as it’s available for purchase. The book includes a number of funny anecdotes from Paul Rudd’s Lang, including his reasoning for an Avenger writing up a post-Blip book. Funny enough, while explaining that, he name-dropped fellow heroes Bruce Banner and Clint Barton. 

In the past, Disney and Marvel Studios have come up with some ingenious ways to market their movies, but an entire book written with Scott Lang’s delivery is just too clever. The introduction of Hyperion Avenue-published novel was shared exclusively to Marvel.com and gives prospective readers a taste of what they can expect. In the opening, Lang chronicles his journey from family man to ex-con to superhero. After discussing his status as the “everyman Avenger,” Ant-Man’s lead character gets into the nitty gritty about why he decided to chronicle his adventures. That’s ultimately where his esteemed colleagues come into play: 

First off, can we just marvel (no pun intended) at how this conversation plays out? The actual author really captures the spirit of Lang’s wit and candor. But from a continuity standpoint, this is a very nice piece of character-building, and the notion of the three heroes meeting under such casual circumstances is refreshing. (Given this close interaction, Hawkeye’s Ant-Man reference makes even more sense now.) Scott goes on to share more about what transpired during that lunch and how he officially ended up being the one to write the proposed book: 

It’s indeed true that Ant-Man (and Hawkeye) weren’t present for the Battle of Wakanda. When it comes to the former, Ant-Man and the Wasp’s Avengers: Infinity War tie-in explains the reason for his absence. Scott was trapped in the Quantum Realm when Thanos snapped half of the universe’s population out of existence. That apparent didn’t deter the always-optimistic Lang from taking on the task, though: 

This humorous – and detailed account – is just further proof for why Scott is one of the most dependable people in the MCU. As someone who’s a bit of a nerd when it comes to details pertaining to this cinematic universe, I find all of this quite delightful. It’s interesting that Lang would be tasked with chronicling the recent years within the fictional timeline. One would assume that the book itself is filled with even more information that fills in key gaps.

Whether or not the novel makes an impression is up in the air at the moment, but what is known is that Quantumania didn’t exactly strike a chord with critics or many general audience members. While performances from stars like Paul Rudd and Jonathan Majors were well received, the script, pacing and third act (which features a controversial ending) were criticized. The film also continued a negative box-office trend for Marvel, which has seen smaller box office returns with some of its more recent films. 

Hardcore MCU fans may not let any misgivings about the movie deter them from reading this book, though. I’d also be more than willing to bet that beyond the introduction, more Avengers are prominently mentioned throughout the text beside Bruce Banner and Clint Barton.

Look Out for The Little Guy is on sale now, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is currently streamable for anyone with a Disney+ subscription.

Only Murders in the Building is killing it in various ways in Season 3 — pun lethally intended — from giving Andrea Martin more screentime to peeling the layers back on Oliver’s musical brainchild Death Rattle Dazzle and beyond. Something I hope the Hulu series also continues is its exploration of Ben Glenroy’s lengthy Hollywood career, as it’s full of both ridiculous concepts and winking homages to a variety of Paul Rudd’s biggest and best movies and other career highlights. The comedic whodunnit’s production designer talked about bringing all the Rudd love into the show, which made me realize I somehow completely missed the nod to his A+ Friends character. 

Speaking with TheWrap, production designer Patrick Howe gave set decorator Rich Murray much of the credit for turning the apartments of Ben and his stalker into shrines to a fictional film career. In his words:

Some of the joyous highlights in general include the close-up "Talent" poster, the big print of a mustachioed Rudd, the Funko Pop figure and the other action figure set, both of which I would throw money at with the speed of a Martin Short-sized gazelle. And don't get me started on all the GirlCOP stuff, because I already went there. But it was the movie memorabilia in the apartment of Adrian Martinez's stalker fan Gregg (the first of Only Murders' Season 3 suspect red herrings) where the career easter eggs came fast and furious. Well not fast and furious, but a reference more apt to his career. Overnight Delivery? I'll workshop it. 

Such easter eggs include the animated film Ant Family Adventure, which was a pretty on-the-anttena reference to Paul Rudd's MCU hero Ant-Man, and the aforementioned action figure was a throwback to his '90s stint performing as a DJ for bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs. And down the hallway were a trio of posters: one for GirlCOP, one for Sex Panther — a rather clear nod to his Anchorman character Brian Fontana's infamous cologne — and then one whose name I failed to fully read when Episode 2 first hit streaming: Hannigan's Wedding Night.

As all Friends fans are aware, Paul Rudd joined the cast last in its run as Phoebe's boyfriend-turned-hubby Mike. And what was Mike's last name? That's right: Wedding Night. Wait, no, it was Hannigan. And it's also worth noting that the character temporarily changed his name to Crap Bag, so we'll just assume anytime someone is holding a bag of crap (dog or otherwise), that it's also a reference to Rudd.

It sounds like all the efforts that went into creating the mass amount of Paul Rudd-specific props will continue to be celebrated by fans even beyond the Hulu series' run. Here's how Patrick Howe explained it:

I'm guessing it would be too much money to purchase the actual Paul Rudd bloodied and lying on the ground like a corpse. Maybe it would work as a rental, though. In any case, I hope the Hannigan's Wedding Night poster is available to buy at some point in my lifetime, perhaps at whatever Paul Rudd museum is founded and opened up for public enjoyment.

New episodes of Only Murders in the Building are available to stream every Tuesday with a Hulu subscription, so be sure to continue joining in the justice-seeking blame game of suspects. 

Considering just how big the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become, the fact that its overall quality still trends toward being pretty good is a significant accomplishment. We all have our favorite movies, and our least favorite, but most of the time things are fine. Sometimes the MCU can be legitimately great, and it’s rarely actually that bad.

But, as with any form of art, perfection is largely unattainable. The best MCU films still have elements that could be better. By the same token, the worst installments aren’t entirely without merit. So, from Iron Man to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, here is a look at every single Marvel Cinematic Universe film, and the best and worst parts of each one. 

Iron Man 

Best Thing: Robert Downey Jr’s perfect casting

If there was one thing that first MCU movie had to get right above all else it was casting its first hero, and they simply could not have done any better. Robert Downey Jr. is absolutely perfect as Tony Stark. Both the actor and the character were men in need of second chances, and Downey shows that vulnerability perfectly while also coming across as heroic.

Worst Thing: The final battle is just robots punching each other

Iron Man set a tone for excellent casting in the MCU but unfortunately also set a tone for unfortunate endings. The big finale is ultimately just two guys in armored suits punching each other. There just isn’t a lot else there.

The Incredible Hulk 

Best Thing: Hulk Smash

If you’re going to see an Incredible Hulk movie then what you’re probably looking for is a massive green dude to break stuff and punch things. As far as that goes, The Incredible Hulk succeeds pretty well. The action sequence at the end against Abomination is fun enough that you might not notice the bad part about it.

Worst Thing: Early CGI doesn’t hold up

The bad part is that the CGI doesn’t really work. Part of this is certainly looking back in retrospect, as the Hulk looks different now, not only because he’s played by a different actor, but because he's animated better. 

Iron Man 2

Best Thing: Justin Hammer

There are two villains in Iron Man 2 and one of them audiences have repeatedly hoped we might see again. Sam Rockwell’s Justin Hammer isn’t the most important new addition to the franchise in the sequel, but he is absolutely the most fun.

Worst Thing: Whiplash

The other villain, however, doesn’t succeed nearly as well. Whiplash is what happens when your Iron Man movie is so successful you rush a sequel and just pull a villain off the shelf. There’s no depth here, which makes the conflict ring hollow.

Thor 

Best Thing: The Introduction Of Tom Hiddelston’s Loki

Thor would eventually come into his own, but he’s certainly not the most interesting thing in his own movie. From the very beginning, it was clear that what Marvel found with Tom Hiddleston as Loki was truly special. 

Worst Thing: Kenneth Branagh is not an action movie director

Branagh is a great director and the decision to bring his Shakespearean sensibilities to the superhero genre actually works a lot better than you might expect. Where he’s clearly having trouble, however, is the action. The superpowered battles just don’t have the impact, either on screen or for the audience, that they should.

Captain America: The First Avenger 

Best Thing: Steve throws himself on a grenade

Before Steve Rogers ever gets injected with super soldier serum he shows that he’s actually been Captain America from the beginning. The willingness to throw himself on a live grenade is what causes the rest of the movie to happen; it endears him to the other characters and to us, as well.

Worst Thing: The silly brief love triangle

There’s a scene shortly after Steve leads a heroic rescue mission where a woman (Natalie Dormer) who is very impressed by him makes a move and kisses him just as Peggy walks up. It leads to one of those classic misunderstandings which only exist in movies to keep romantic partners apart longer, and it’s always silly. 

The Avengers

Best Thing: That one team shot

You know the one. The moment when The Avengers become The Avengers. The camera circles around them, the music swells, and six movies come together in one moment, proving that the MCU truly works.

Worst Thing: Coulson’s death

It’s a key moment, as it’s part of what brings the characters together, but Agent Coulson was just as important to the success of the MCU as any of the Avengers, and it’s been missing something ever since he died.

Iron Man 3 

Best Thing: The Mandarin Twist

Because the MCU is based on existing Marvel Comics, you can get a general idea of what may happen if you know the stories, which is why the big twist in Iron Man 3 is so great. Nobody saw it coming.

Worst Thing: The Mandarin Twist

Having said that, a lot of people hated the Mandarin twist, and there’s an argument to be made that taking one of Marvel’s few Asian characters and having him ultimately played by a non-Chinese actor was the wrong move.

Thor: The Dark World 

Best Thing: Freya’s death scene

Thor: The Dark World has its share of issues, but Rene Russo’s Freya isn’t one of them. Her death scene is a fairly big surprise, and so it hits with emotional weight when the rest of the movie largely doesn’t.

Worst Thing: Who was the villain again?

The only thing that would have made the death scene better is if she were killed by a villain we actually remember. You don’t recollect his name or why he was the villain, and that’s the problem. No, I'm not going to look it up and pretend I remember.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier 

Best Thing: The Elevator Fight

Marvel movies are full of action sequences and most are fine, but few of them are truly great. Captain America: The Winter Soldier's elevator fight is well choreographed and shot, allowing for one of the most unique and exciting battles in the MCU. Even Chris Evans knows it's the best.

Worst Thing: Nick Fury’s “death”

Did anybody actually believe that Fury died here? The movie makes the reveal that he’s still alive feel like they thought they fooled somebody. They did not. 

Guardians Of The Galaxy 

Best Thing: We are Groot

By the end of the first Guardians of the Galaxy movie, we're fully on board with this team of broken misfits. Which makes the fact that we lose one of them hurt a lot more than we might expect. Groot’s final words resonate in a way that only a creature's of few words can.

Worst Thing: Another unmemorable villain

Perhaps because it has so many characters to introduce, it doesn’t have much time left for its villain. As such, Ronan the Accuser is given a very rushed setup and a weak motivation, despite his connection to the biggest villain of the first three phases. 

Avengers: Age Of Ultron

Best Thing: James Spader’s Ultron

Ultron maybe doesn’t have the most original motivation for rogue AI, but he does have the best possible voice for it. James Spader is absolutely perfect as the voice, and he brings a life to the CGI character that it desperately needs. It's a shame Spader has not returned to voice him since.

Worst Thing: Black Widow’s sterilization

The romance between Bruce Banner and Black Widow is an idea that starts and ends here, so it ends up having little impact, but that makes Natasha’s tearful admission that she cannot have children (and the implicit indication that there is something wrong with her because of it) that much more out of place.

Ant-Man

Best Thing: Creative final fight

The final battle in Ant-Man follows many of the same beats as several (far less) interesting battles in the MCU, but what those fights didn’t have was a Thomas the Tank Engine toy the size of a city bus. This battle uses the unique abilities of the characters to great effect to make this fight much stronger.

Worst Thing: Not enough Hope Van Dyne

Ant-Man is all about Scott Lang becoming a capable superhero, and it’s a fun journey, but the movie already has a woman quite capable in Hope Van Dyne. Leaving the Wasp reveal until a post-credits scene feels like a waste. 

Captain America: Civil War 

Best Thing: The airport battle

Is the airport battle a bit like taking all your superhero action figures and throwing them together? Yeah, but that’s also why it’s great. Not since the first Avengers had we seen so many of our favorite Marvel heroes in one place, and it still didn’t get old.

Worst Thing: Zemo’s plan is convoluted as hell 

Zemo is far from the worst villain in the MCU. He’s actually one of the more interesting ones overall, but it has to be said that his plan here is completely ridiculous. There are so many steps involved that it's almost funny that the plan actually succeeds.

Doctor Strange 

Best Thing: A final battle that isn’t just a fistfight

Some of the best parts of Marvel movies have been the action sequences where heroes and villains fight, but Doctor Strange tries something different when the hero goes up against Dormamu and finds a way to win that is entirely about outsmarting, not out punching, his opponent. It's not less exciting, but it's a lot more creative.

Worst Thing: Not enough Rachel McAdams

At this point, it seems like every working actor has a role in the MCU, but some of them have been criminally underused. When you get Rachel McAdams in your movie you should do something with her, but Doctor Strange doesn’t.

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 

Best Thing: Nebula and Gamora

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is an emotional movie all the way around, but the most powerful relationship is between Gamora and Nebula. They very nearly kill each other before Nebula finally takes the first step to healing by revealing how she truly feels. It’s an incredible moment.

Worst Thing: Mantis as the butt of jokes

Mantis is a great addition to the Guardians, but her introduction is a tough one. The way that Drax perpetually insults her, in a way that is played for laughs, just isn’t as funny as it was supposed to be. 

Spider-Man: Homecoming 

Best Thing: Michael Keaton’s Villain speech

Michael Keaton is great across the board in Homecoming but the best moment comes as he's driving Peter and his date to the prom, and they have a conversation that, on the surface, seems plain, but is actually a much deeper conversation. They reveal themselves to each other, without giving anything away. 

Worst Thing: The M.J. “twist”

Homecoming tries to mix up the formula of Spider-Man movies, and does such a good job overall that feeling a need to force Zendaya’s character into being M.J. just isn’t right. She’s her own character, and should have been allowed to be such. Making her M.J. doesn’t do anything the movie or franchise needs.

Thor: Ragnarok

Best Thing: A new tone that suits Thor better

Everything changed for Thor with Ragnarok, but most importantly, what changed was his sense of humor. With Taika Waittiti at the helm, we had a Thor that was much lighter in tone, and that seems to suit the character and Chris Hemsworth a lot more.

Worst Thing:  An unworthy end to the Warriors Three

However, a casualty of Ragnarok, literally, were the Warriors Three, who it seems Waititi didn’t know what to do with, and so he disposed of them in short order. They deserved better. 

Black Panther

Best Thing: T’Challa rejects the ancestors

It’s difficult to not just say “everything” is what’s best about Black Panther. Chadwick Boseman is one of the MCU’s great casting decisions. If that hadn’t been clear previously, it is in the climax of the film, when T’Challa takes his father and the rest of his ancestors to task for their bad decisions.

Worst Thing: Two great villains gone too soon

One of the other things that makes the film so great is its villains. Michael B. Jordan is excellent as Killmonger, and at least he had a whole movie to shine. Andy Serkis’ Klaue felt like a villain who was never really given a chance to be as big as he could have been, despite being excellent whenever he was on screen.

Avengers: Infinity War

Best Thing: Groot and Stormbreaker

There are numerous moments in the last two Avengers movies that were clearly designed to make fans stand up and cheer, but the greatest moment of Infinity War comes from the least likely place. Groot becomes the true hero of the film when he unites the pieces of Stormbreaker and uses his own arm to give the weapon a handle.

Worst Thing: The Soul Stone

Many lives are lost in Infinity War, but none are more heartbreaking than Gamora. And, not simply from a storytelling standpoint. It’s frustrating because the premise of the Soul Stone sequence, that Thanos loves Gamora, is so clearly false by virtue of what he’s willing to do.

Ant-Man And The Wasp 

Best Thing: Michael Pena’s Luis

We met Luis in the first Ant-Man movie and he was absolutely hilarious, so the sequel did what all sequels at least claim to: give us more of what we want. Luis becomes a much more significant part of Ant-Man and the Wasp, and the sequel is better for it.

Worst Thing: More forgettable villains

Stop if you’ve heard this one before, but sometimes we forget who the villains in Marvel movies even are, and this is very much the case in Ant-Man and the Wasp. Ghost is set to return to the MCU, but we'll need a refresher on who she is.

Captain Marvel 

Best Thing: Captain Marvel Blasting Yon-Rogg

Sometimes a superhero movie builds to an epic and inevitable encounter between a hero and villain, and we get a fight that is everything we dreamed of. Sometimes the villain gets blasted into a wall because the hero owes him nothing, and it's even more satisfying.

Worst Thing: Unnecessarily '90s

Captain Marvel is set in the ’90s for “prequel” reasons, which is fine, but unlike the Guardians of the Galaxy films, which use music for particular story and character reasons, the setting here isn’t that important, and yet it never stops forcing itself on the story.

Avengers: Endgame 

Best Thing: Avengers Assemble

It was the moment we waited more than a decade for. A complete unification of every living hero in the MCU up to that moment. It was everything we wanted.

Worst Thing: Smart Hulk is born off screen

Considering just how long the Avengers movies are you'd think they would have found time to not just explain the origin of Smart Hulk, but let that important stuff happen on-screen.

Spider-Man: Far From Home 

Best Thing: Peter & MJ

It’s not really a shock that Tom Holland and Zendaya got together in real life because the chemistry between the two is excellent. We never really got to see it in the previous Spider-Man movie, but it’s the backbone of this one, and it's excellent.

Worst Thing: Mysterio’s backstory

Retroactively connecting a story back to something that we've already seen is, almost without exception, a clunky way to do things, and when it comes to Mysterio’s motivations, it’s pretty clunky here, as well. 

Black Widow

Best Thing: Florence Pugh

We lost our first Black Widow with the titular movie, but the film gave us a suitable replacement. Pugh’s Yelena isn’t a carbon copy of Scarlett Johansson, which means she’ll still bring something new to the MCU, while still lending similar skills to any plot that requires her. 

Worst Thing: The Taskmaster Reveal

It is perfectly acceptable for an MCU movie to do something drastically different with a character that is well-known in comics. However, if you’re going to treat the identity of a character as a big deal, the reveal needs to be bigger than what we got here.

Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings 

Best Thing: Wenwu vs. Jiang Li

The martial arts combat of Shang-Chi is a nice change of pace from the usual MCU dust-up, and the best is the fight/romance of Wewu and Jiang Li. It’s a beautifully choreographed battle and an equally beautiful love story all at once. 

Worst Thing: CGI dragon fights

Shang-Chi does a great job introducing us to its characters and getting us to care about them, which makes it disappointing when the final battle focuses largely on massive CGI dragons that, while impressive, the audience has not invested in.

Eternals

Best Thing: An impressive ensemble 

Say what you will about Eternals, but it put together an incredible cast, developed each one into fully realized characters, and did so in a way that was compelling and interesting.

Worst Thing: The Massive Mid-Film Info Dump 

Relaying information that the audience needs can be one of the most difficult things for any movie. Many movies, and lots of Marvel movies, struggle with this, but Eternals massive info dump where a Celestial just explains everything to Sersi stops the movie dead in its tracks.

Spider-Man: No Way Home 

Best Thing: The live-action Spider-Verse

In a moment that Spider-Man fans could have only have dreamed of before it happened, three different big screen Spider-Men shared the screen and fought together. How could you not have loved that?

Worst Thing: So. Many. Villains.

Getting three Spidey’s was great, but they could have fought fewer bad guys. It’s not that any of them were bad, but only a couple of them really get any chance to be part of the story.

Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness 

Best Thing: Scarlet Witch Murders Everybody

The alternative universe version of various Marvel heroes was cool. Watching Scarlet Witch completely own them all was even better.

Worst Thing: Mordo is wasted

Mordo had an interesting character arc in the first Doctor Strange, and seeing where he would go made the sequel a compelling idea. Unfortunately, by the time we got to it, the MCU had a different story to tell, so the tease from the first movie went nowhere. 

Thor: Love And Thunder

Best Thing: The Mighty Thor

In a rare move, Marvel revealed years in advance that Natalie Portman would return to the MCU as The Mighty Thor. You don’t need to worry about spoilers when your reveal is awesome enough. 

Worst Thing: Thor Gets Lost in his own movie  

The Mighty Thor was great, and Thor: Love and Thunder has one of the better MCU villains in years. Unfortunately, Thor himself feels largely overlooked by his own movie. 

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever 

Best Thing: Shuri’s emotional journey

We knew that Wakanda Forever was going to be an emotional movie for lots of fans, but to make the road toward acceptance the actual plot was an inspired decision. We all understand Shuri’s story.

Worst Thing: Thunderbolts subplot

The journey of Everett Ross here is not nearly as satisfying. He seems to be there mostly to set up future movies, which takes away from the one we are actually watching.

Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania 

Best Thing: Kang

Kang is expected to be the villain of this current MCU arc, and Quntumania was his coming-out party. It’s a great performance and a fantastic hint of what is to come.

Worst Thing: Where’s Luis?

With the movie mostly taking place in the Quantum Realm, I’m sure the filmmakers just didn’t know how to incorporate Michael Pena’s Luis in a way that made sense, but it’s a lesser film without him.

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3

Best Thing: The Bestie Boys One Shot

The Guardians of the Galaxy movies have given us solid action and great music, and in one of the trilogy’s final moments, it gave us all that and more in a simulated one-shot that looked epic and sounded amazing.

Worst Thing: Adam Warlock

Vol. 2 promised us Adam Warlock, but one wonders if he would have appeared if that post-credits scene had been left out. The performance and character are good, but the movie doesn’t seem to know what to do with him.

That's every MCU film. Do you agree with our choices?

Did you know around a third of the deaf and severely hard of hearing community deal with low literacy? Reading is not an easy skill to learn when so much of its basics rely on the study of sounds. That’s where American Sign Language (ASL) comes in. The visual language helps bridge the language barrier for deaf communities, yet it’s closed captioning that is more readily available on streaming services like Disney+. With that, the streamer -- along with Marvel Studios -- gave ASL speakers an exciting gift -- a version of a Marvel Cinematic Universe film that utilizes the language.

In honor of National American Sign Language Day, Marvel announced that for the first time ever, one of its movies -- 2015’s Ant-Man -- now has an ASL version and is available to stream on the website and app. For those with a Disney+ subscription, when you click on the first Paul Rudd-led Marvel movie on the platform and go to the “Extras” tab on the menu before you click play, you can view the ASL version of the superhero origin story. It features ASL performer Jac Cook in the right bottom corner offering translations throughout the movie, like so: 

The ASL version of Ant-Man was created by Deluxe, RespectAbility alongside Douglas Ridloff, the husband of Lauren Ridloff -- the actress who plays the MCU’s first deaf superhero. Douglas also served as an ASL coach and consultant on Eternals, both A Quiet Place movies and Marvel’s upcoming Echo series. Delbert Whetter, one of the folks behind this new dub, says it was created to “communicate Ant-Man’s entertaining dialogue and sound effects in a manner befitting Marvel’s distinctive style, subversive humor, and high-velocity action” in ASL. 

The ASL-speaking community erupted in cheers on Twitter over the announcement, even though some people are definitely confused why the Paul Rudd-led flick was specifically chosen to be the first movie. Why not do the Marvel movies in order? Many are hoping this will lead to the option being applied to “every single movie,” whereas others predict Disney+ is trying out the feature ahead of Hawkeye spinoff series Echo, which stars Alaqua Cox as Maya Lopez, a Deaf Native American superhero. Lopez's latest adventure takes place after the events of Clint Barton's series, and release date has yet to be announced.

This move may also be due to the fact that the last MCU movie that hit theaters was Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Marvel and Disney+ may have thought more audiences would be flocking back to the superhero movie that marked the start of Scott Lang’s journey in the cinematic universe. With the ASL version now out, you can't help but wonder if the platform and other streaming services will make more ASL versions of movies available to audiences. One can only hope.

Catch up on more Marvel movies on Disney+, and know that the next entry is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which opens in theaters on May 5 as part of the schedule of 2023 new movie releases. 

Major spoilers for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania lie ahead, so read at your own risk.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is finally here, and the responses to the latest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been interesting, to put it mildly. The highly anticipated superhero threequel has proven to be one of the most polarizing films in the extensive franchise. While some are praising it for its comic book-esque kookiness and ability to buck Marvel trends, others are admonishing it for its tone and narrative decisions. Some may have found it to be a swing-and-a-miss for the entertainment giant, but I thought it was mostly fine. Nevertheless, there are four reasons why I’m a bit concerned about the film it’s setting the table for: Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.

The upcoming Avengers installment has a few things in common with the Ant-Man trilogy’s capper. Obviously, there share an antagonist, but both productions also have the same screenwriter: Jeff Loveness. In most cases, I prefer to give creatives the benefit of the doubt but, after seeing what Loveness did with Quantumania, there are a few things that are nagging at me in regard to the future.. So let’s talk out the four reasons I have concerns about Marvel Studios’ next culmination flick:  

Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania’s Story Wasn’t As Cohesive As It Could’ve Been 

Some ambitious stories have come out of the MCU over the years, but Kang Dynasty has the potential to be one of the biggest. This is due to the fact that Earth’s Mightiest Heroes will tangle with a timeline-hopping warlord, who just happens to have an infinite number of counterparts across the multiverse. (And here we thought a purple madman searching the galaxy for cosmic stones was wild enough.) There’s going to be a lot of narrative real estate to cover, and one has to wonder if Jeff Loveness can handle it.

While I did enjoy aspects of what the Rick and Morty scribe brought to the table in Quantumania, parts of it were messy. The third act, in particular, could be somewhat disorienting at times. With even more plot threads likely at play in Avengers 5, you can’t help but wonder if the writer will be able to balance everything effectively. He’s got a big task in front of him. But at the very least, he’ll have a firm collaborator in Kang Dynasty director Destin Daniel Cretton (of Shang-Chi fame) to help him smooth out the story. 

The Tone Of The Ant-Man Threequel Was Uneven, And That Can’t Be The Case For Avengers 

Early on, it was established that the Ant-Man series would serve as light-hearted MCU fare, and that approach worked for the first two films. The third one upped the ante in a big way and, though it was refreshing, it made the tone feel rocky at times. The flick sought to put Scott Lang, Hope van Dyne and co. at the center of a more dramatic tale, but it also tried to maintain the same level of humor as its predecessors. At times, it felt like these two vibes were at war with each other, leading to moments of levity infringing on more serious scenes and vice versa. 

Please believe me when I say that, I’m absolutely not aiming to take constant jabs at Jeff Loveness’ writing. And to be fair Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (who wrote massive MCU flicks like Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame) injected plenty of humor into their scripts as well. However, they knew how to deftly balance drama and comedy with spectacle. Tone is going to be incredibly important for Loveness’ next outing, especially since he’ll be writing for a slew of other established characters. 

The Plethora Of Kang Variants Can Become Tiresome If Not Handled Correctly 

Quantumania’s post-credits scene gave fans their first look at the Council of Kangs, which was a sight to behold. Comic book fans, of course, knew that there’d come a time when they’d see multiple versions of the conqueror in one place, but it was really something to watch Immortus, Rama-Tut and Centurion conversing, while a number of other Kangs cheered on their machinations. And let’s also not forget the reveal of the Victor Timely variant, who’ll pop up in Loki Season 2. As cool as all of this is, I’m wondering if the creative team will be able to utilize so many variants effectively in a single film.

The notion of having multiple Kangs in one movie is cool, and it helps to differentiate this story from the Avengers’ battle with Thanos. Yet this could all easily go off the rails if not handled properly. In fact, the continuous onslaught of variants could get repetitive and even hokey, depending on how other iterations of the villain are characterized. The ones we’ve seen so for seem well done, but you can’t help but hope that these alter egos don’t get too loopy. Super producer Kevin Feige and co. have clearly been putting a lot of time into getting this beloved baddie right, and one can only hope they’re able to juggle his multiple personas when they do battle with the heroes.

Quantumania Didn’t Take As Many Big Narrative Swings As Fans Expected 

There were major expectations when it came to Quantumania’s story, and some wild rumors were flying. One of the most consistent was that Scott Lang might die (which, I would’ve been fine with). Ultimately, the movie played it relatively safe, even keeping Lang and Hope from being stranded in the Quantum Realm during the closing moments. It’s not exactly wrong for a production to stay inside the lines but, when it comes to a massive film like this, it’s to be expected, and I hope that will be the case for The Kang Dynasty. 

Now, of all the MCU installments, the Avengers movies have consistently been the ones to  provide some interesting developments. I still love the fact that Infinity War saw half of the universe get snapped away and that the subsequent Blip is still impacting the cinematic universe. With this upcoming film, Kevin Feige, Jeff Loveness and their colleagues are going to want to step it up by taking some (well-thought-out) chances that both fit into the story being told and pave the way for Secret Wars.

We’ve still got plenty of time before Earth’s Mightiest Heroes assemble once more, and it’s pretty much guaranteed that Marvel Studios is working hard to get the next team-up move in good shape. I’m looking forward to it and am sincerely hoping that it manages to pull everything off a bit more smoothly than this latest superhero epic. 

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is now playing in theaters, and you can stream past MCU flicks using a Disney+ subscription. 

SPOILERS are ahead for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Proceed with caution! 

Look, Marvel casting has always been on point. The studio knows how to find the right actor to adapt comic book favorites into believable on-screen characters to root for or fear, and it has done so for decades. However, when it comes to Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, the latest Marvel movie, I have one gripe about the casting. Why was The Good Place and Love Life actor William Jackson Harper so underutilized? 

William Jackson Harper is a 43-year-old actor with an exciting resume to his name, but Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is his first blockbuster film. He’s best known for his lovable role in the NBC hit series The Good Place, where he played Chidi Anagonye, a professor of ethics and moral philosophy who finds himself experiencing the afterlife alongside a group of misfits played by the likes of Kristen Bell, Jameela Jamil and Manny Jacinto. Harper has also been in the horror favorite, Midsommar. I, along with many fans of the the actor, had high hopes for a bigger MCU role for the actor, but now that I’ve seen Quantumania, I’m officially bummed he had such a small role to play in the movie... figuratively and literally.

William Jackson Harper Was Rumored To Play A Fantastic Role

When it was announced that William Jackson Harper had been cast in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in October, it was reported that his role was a “closely guarded secret,” leading many fans to believe he was going to play a key role in the MCU. The most predominant rumor that began to emerge was that Harper could be introduced as the franchise’s Reed Richards (a.k.a. Mr. Fantastic) ahead of the MCU’s Fantastic Four movie being among upcoming Marvel movies and set for release on February 14, 2025. 

Many Marvel fans jumped to the idea of William Jackson Harper being cast as Reed Richards because 1) he’s best known for playing an academic type thanks to his most famous role in The Good Place, and 2) we knew Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror would be introduced in the movie, and he’s well known in the comics for being a descendant of the Fantastic Four founding member. Given the origins of Kang and the forthcoming Fantastic Four movie needing to be set up at some point, it just made sense to fans. The casting idea was even popular amongst CinemaBlend’s staff when we did our own fan casting for MCU’s Fantastic Four back in 2020. Harper found himself in the flurry of another grand (but untrue) fan rumor, but it was an inspired idea that I walked into Quantumania thinking about. 

The Role William Jackson Harper Plays In Ant-Man 3

William Jackson Harper had a small supporting role in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, playing Quaz for around ten minutes of screen time in the big-budget Marvel movie. Harper provides some fun comedic relief as a member of the Quantum Realm’s freedom fighters who is a telepath and reading Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang’s mind after he is captured by them. Quaz is a character who was invented for the purposes of Quantumania. While the third Ant-Man movie is all about the little guy, Quaz feels like a throwaway character to bring some comedy along the way, as opposed to Harper being utilized for a larger role that can continue to grow. 

Now there has been an instance of a great actor being used for a small role like this and then getting a much bigger role in another Marvel movie, so perhaps that could happen for William Jackson Harper. I’m specifically talking about Gemma Chan, who first briefly played Minn-Erva in Captain Marvel before finding a leading role in Eternals as Sersi. But in terms of where we currently are with Harper, he was chosen for a small role in Ant-Man 3, and it feels like a missed opportunity for the actor to find a leading role in the MCU. 

Why I’m Bummed About William Jackson Harper’s MCU Role

The MCU has served as an avenue in the past for actors to become icons. Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston’s roles as Thor and Loki are prime examples of actors who instantly became massive names as a result of portraying Marvel characters. Since being a fan of The Good Place, I’ve been rooting for William Jackson Harper to be in more movies and television shows, and don’t get me wrong, he’s doing great for himself. Since wrapping The Good Place, he’s been in numerous shows, like The Underground Railroad, Love Life and The Resort, along with a 2021 sweet comedy called We Broke Up. It just would have been so dang cool if he was Reed Richards in the MCU. 

He’d absolutely kill it as a Marvel leading man, and Reed Richards is an especially great role for him. William Jackson Harper has a great ability to offer a depth to his roles while also being really funny and charismatic. This is the kind of energy I want for the MCU’s Reed Richards after the brooding 2015 Fantastic Four movie starring Miles Teller in the role, and the ultra cheesy version from the mid-2000s that starred Ioan Gruffudd as Reed. 

I guess what it comes down to is the fact that I fell into a good rumor and wanted it to be true so badly that when it was wrong, I was not happy about it. Remember when Spider-Man: No Way Home leaks were going off on the internet? I thought it was impossible, and then Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s roles in it absolutely blew my mind. Even though I’m bummed that William Jackson Harper is not the MCU’s Reed Richards, it was truly great to see him part of a Marvel project. I just hope he’ll be given more major roles going forward. 

For the time being, we don’t know much about the direction of Fantastic Four aside from its 2025 release date and the fact that WandaVision's Matt Shakman has signed on to direct the flick. The latest report is that casting is about to begin, with Sue Storm reportedly being chosen first before the rest of the Fantastic Four team is cast. We’ll keep you updated here on CinemaBlend regarding Fantastic Four and other MCU news. 

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania! If you have yet to watch the new Marvel movie, proceed at your own risk!

Over the course of the past decade and a half, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has taken us to worlds, galaxies and even universes that are dazzling, fantastical and oftentimes confusing as hell, with rules and possibilities we mere mortals can only begin to understand. One of those visually striking and mentally daunting locations that has received a lot of attention over the years is the Quantum Realm, which has been consequential in five of the best Marvel movies to date. The most recent adventure, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, spent the most amount of time in the microscopic universe.

So after spending so much time in Quantum Realm over the years, most of it with Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang, we can piece together how the hidden universe beneath our own works by using examples from the various MCU titles set within the extremely small, yet imposingly vast realm.

The Quantum Realm Is A Universe Of Its Own With Limitless Worlds And Layers

In the opening minutes of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors) asks a single question upon being saved by  Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) in the Quantum Realm: “What is this place?” Though a simple enough question, the answer is far more complex, one that could take a doctorate in quantum physics to explain in full, but even then still be hard to understand.

In the simplest terms, the Quantum Realm is a secret universe like our own, in that it has a limitless number of systems, worlds and layers. But unlike our own universe (and the main Earth-616 reality in the MCU), life, and reality itself, is very different, with unimaginable wonders and horrors awaiting, as Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) learn upon venturing into this microverse for the first time. 

Time Passes Differently In The Quantum Realm

During the Ant-Man and the Wasp post-credits scene, Scott Lang was left trapped in the Quantum Realm after Hope, Janet and Hank (his way out) were turned to dust as part of Thanos’ master plan. And though everyone in the regular world spent the next five years in a state of shared grief trying to make sense of the Avengers’ failure to stop the Mad Titan, Scott revealed that to him, it was only five hours. 

See, time passes differently in the Quantum Realm than it does in our own universe. While the exact ratio is never fully explained, and it isn’t revealed if the different layers of the microverse experience time differently than others (like the way time worked in Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar or Inception), we do know that there are some major differences between the notion of time in our world than the one dominated by Kang the Conqueror. 

The Quantum Realm Can Be Accessed In A Variety Of Ways

There isn’t one exclusive way to reach the Quantum Realm, as various Marvel characters have used an assortment of ways to use the microverse in one way or another. The first method of shrinking down to free oneself to reach the infinite possibilities of the Quantum Realm was introduced in Ant-Man, when Scott Lang shrank down to subatomic size in order to sabotage Darren Cross’ (Corey Stoll) Yellowjacket suit (more on him in a bit) before disappearing into an even smaller scale. Though viewed as a death sentence, Scott helped prove that one could escape after returning to the regular-sized world.

Similarly, in Avengers: Endgame, what was left of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes took the technology that Hank Pym built years earlier and used it to create a time machine that allowed them to drop into different points in time by briefly traversing the Quantum Realm. Cassie Lang’s device in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania sent a message into the realm, resulting in everyone in the room being sucked into a portal, transporting them to the microscopic universe.

There's also at least one example of magic being used to reach the Quantum Realm, though only briefly. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) crossed through the Quantum Realm in Doctor Strange when he was bouncing between the different realities, but again, this was only for a few brief moments.

A Special Suit Is Required To Enter Or Exit The Quantum Realm

When crossing into the Quantum Realm, at least in any of the movies before Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, a special suit is required to enter or exit the subatomic universe due to the stresses shrinking on the human body. This explains the suit Hank Pym wore long ago and the one Scott Lang wears now, as well as those sweet time travel outfits used by Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in Avengers: Endgame. The suit, combined with the helmet, help prevent a situation like Darren Cross having his body thoroughly screwed up after his encounter with Ant-Man that resulted in the villain becoming MODOK and looking crazy as hell.

But again, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania broke this rule at just about every turn, with characters entering the Quantum Realm without a suit (like Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne) and others just opening and closing their visors without anything happening on a physiological level. 

The Quantum Realm Could Be Viewed As A Prison

The Quantum Realm, while magical, fantastical and extraordinary, could be viewed as a prison, like the subatomic version of Alcatraz Island or even Manhattan in Escape from New York. Once you are sent down to the scale of the microverse, you are almost guaranteed to spend the rest of your life (or eternity) trapped there without help from the outside world, whether that be someone coming to help you or you tricking someone into letting you out.

In Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, it is revealed that Kang the Conqueror didn’t crashland in the Quantum Realm, but instead was sent there to live in exile after the Council of Kangs (his variants) deemed him too formidable of a threat. Though he was able to fix his technology that allowed him to take over the Quantum Realm, Kang lacked a method of escape and remained stuck in his prison after Janet van Dyne sabotaged his power core. That is, until Cassie Lang sent down her communication to the subatomic space.

The idea of a prison also came up in previous movies, including the first two Ant-Man titles, where it was revealed Janet was trapped in the Quantum Realm for 30 years before being rescued. An actual prison, like the one revealed in the Quantumania script leaks, was also used in the 2023 Marvel movie.

Hopefully this helps make sense of the Quantum Realm within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With the way things wrapped up in the Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania ending, as well as those two post-credit sequences, there’s a good chance we’ll be exploring the subatomic universe again in some of the upcoming Marvel movies. 

One of the big reveals in Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania addresses a Marvel mystery that has been lingering for eight years: what happened to Yellowjacket a.k.a. Darren Cross? In 2015’s Ant-Man, the character, played by Corey Stoll, was shown being shrunk down into nothingness, and we learn in the latest blockbuster from the MCU that he went to the Quantum Realm and was transformed by Kang The Conqueror into the cyborg known as M.O.D.O.K. It’s an interesting way to address a popular question, but fans are still waiting to learn the answer to another loose Ant-Man thread: what happened to Mitchell Carson, played by Martin Donovan?

Curious about this, I took the opportunity to ask director Peyton Reed about it earlier this month during the Los Angles press day for Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania. I inquired if the filmmaker had a canonical answer to what ended up happening to the Ant-Man antagonist, and while he didn’t provide a specific answer, he did pose a bunch of additional questions that opens up the door to different possibilities. Said Reed,

For those who don’t recall the character, Mitchell Carson was introduced in Ant-Man as the Head of Defense at S.H.I.E.L.D. – though he was secretly a HYDRA operative. In the movie, he works to make a deal with Darren Cross to acquire Cross Particles – a rip-off of the proprietary shrinking technology invented by Michael Douglas’ Hank Pym (a.k.a. Pym Particles). In all of the chaos featured in the third act, he is shown escaping with a vial of the potentially dangerous material, and we have not seen him in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since then.

So what happened to him? That’s presently up in the air in the Marvel Cinematic Universe continuity. As suggested by Peyton Reed, it’s possible that Cross Particles aren’t as stable as Pym Particles and that the technology didn’t work well enough for further use by Mitchell Carson and his associates. On the other hand, it’s possible that they remain as dangerous as ever and that they are secretly being used in nefarious ways that have not yet been revealed.

For what it’s worth, there was originally a scene in Ant-Man that provided a firm answer regarding what happened to the villainous character. When I interviewed Peyton Reed back in 2015, he told me about a deleted scene from the end of the blockbuster that featured Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang confronting Mitchell Carson in the aftermath of his first big shrinking adventure and getting the Cross Particles back. The sequence was cut from the film because the filmmakers liked the idea of the dangerous tech being out in the world – potentially as story material for sequels – but nothing is said about them in either 2018’s Ant-Man And The Wasp or the newly released Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania.

Without an official answer on the table, the door is wide open for Mitchell Carson and his Cross Particles to make a surprising reappearance in a future Marvel Cinematic Universe film or television show… but we have no idea when that might happen. We may just have to wait and see if Marvel Studios ends up giving a green light to a fourth Ant-Man And Wasp movie.

For now, you can learn about everything that is on the way from the franchise via our Upcoming Marvel Movies and Upcoming Marvel TV guides, and take a deep dive into the MCU with our ranking of the Marvel blockbusters and our outline of the Marvel timeline. Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania is now playing in theaters everywhere.

Major SPOILERS are ahead for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. If you haven't seen the film, proceed at your own risk.

In the past few years, Marvel fans been through a lot. We’ve said goodbye to core Avengers, watched as the MCU has changed and adapted following The Snap, and opened up our minds to the multiverse. There's been a lot of deaths as of late – but for the first time in a long time in a new Marvel movie, there wasn’t a major casualty in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. In particularly, it defies a recent trend in this franchise, and I’m both surprised and grateful about it: Janet van Dyne, a key maternal figure in the Ant-Man series, survives.

The two deaths that are in Quantumania are of little consequence. Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror dies, but that comes before it's unveiled that there are many variants of the character who are banded together for a common cause (setting up the major antagonist force that the Avengers will eventually to come together to face). MODOK also dies, but Corey Stoll’s Darren Cross was believed to be dead before he became a cyborg anyway. This is incredibly rare for a Marvel movie nowadays, and it is refreshing for a third act to not revolve around the death of a beloved character becoming the main source of motivation to finally defeat the forces of evil.

Marvel Keeps Killing Off Mother Figures For Emotional Payoff 

Here’s the trend I’ve picked up on – most notably in 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home and 2022’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Marvel has been killing off mother figures in order to create a big emotional moment for the hero to deal with before defeating the big bad. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man watches Marisa Tomei’s Aunt May die in his arms before the casualty becomes the thing that bonds him together with the other Spider-Men, who then team up to take down a host of villains. In Wakanda Forever, Letitia Wright’s Shuri faces the loss of Angela Bassett’s Queen Ramonda before the third act, and her memory serves as a guiding light for her to do the right thing and she decides not to kill Namor in her mother’s honor. 

In both movies, it makes sense for the story for the heroes' mother figures to die, but I also really don’t want to see a superhero’s mother die in every Marvel movie. It’s additionally been a plot point in the Thor movies (Rene Russo's Frigga dies in Thor: The Dark World) and similar beats have also extended to female love interests like Natalie Portman’s Jane in Thor: Love And Thunder and Zoe Saldana’s Gamora in Avengers: Infinity War (at least the one that Star-Lord loved). 

Why I Was Delightfully Surprised Quantumania Didn’t Follow This Marvel Trend 

Going into Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania, given this trend, part of me thought Michelle Pfeiffer's Janet van Dyne would be the next casualty in the MCU. I was thankfully wrong, but even the movie itself somewhat set this up. Janet Van Dyne is the character in the blockbuster with the most beef with Kang because she contributed the most to keeping him exiled in the Quantum Realm. As the story unfolds, we learn that Janet met Kang and, without knowing his true intentions, helped him rebuild the core for his ship so he could go back home. However, right before they were going to escape together, she touched a mechanism on the ship that was connected to his mind and saw the true villain he was. 

There were plenty of times in Quantumania where Kang could have killed off Janet Van Dyne, but thankfully the movie saves us from watching another awesome mother figure from dying within its runtime. 

Michelle Pfeiffer Is The MVP Of Quantumania

We can be very thankful that Janet doesn't die, because Michelle Pfieffer is the best part of Quantumania. The actress gets a really meaty and interesting role as she returns to the unique and war-torn place she spent 30 years being stuck in. How the story follows Janet as she seeks to protect her family, now stuck in the same place with her, and how her knowledge of the place helps them is a great move for the movie. Her relationship with Kang is intriguing to see play out in flashbacks. 

Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania shows that mothers in the MCU are not meerly tools for us to watch die and then mourn over with the protagonists. They can be heroes in their own right and beneficial to the plot of the story, and survive at the end of the day. It’s a good message to put out there, especially for there being more longevity for older actresses like Michelle Pfieffer in a movie franchise as big as the MCU. It’s been some time since she had such a big stage on which to play a leading role, and she is absolutely incredible here. It's great to see Marvel not sidelining a great actress such as her and see her pull out another wonderful performance amidst all the MCU order of business going on in the Ant-Man sequel. 

Quantumania Shows Major Characters Don’t Always Have To Die To Up The Stakes

Moving forward, Marvel hopefully doesn’t just jump back into their old tricks regarding mother figures. It’s beneficial to have stories of heroes with and without parents, and I’m honestly just super happy that by the end of Quantumania the whole Lang/Van Dyne family starts and ends their journey together without some major death to deal with. It's a good palette cleanser following so many more emotional MCU movies – especially as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 looks like it will undoubtedly breaks us when we say goodbye to the bunch of assholes-turned-superheroes. 

While it remains to be seen if and when Michelle Pfieffer’s Janet Van Dyne will continue to have importance in the MCU, the events of Quantumania put so much of the spotlight on her and the development of her character that I’m completely satisfied with how she was handled in the sequel. While mothers living and dying is most certainly part of life in the MCU and real life, I’m happy Hope still has both her parents as a support system, and Cassie Lang has grandparents. It’s super cute to see multiple generations continue to survive and fight together in the MCU.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe's first 2023 movie is here with the third Ant-Man! The superhero film is the 31st of the franchise and the first for Phase 5. Ahead of its theatrical release, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania earned an unfortunate distinction of getting a “rotten” score by critics on the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. It’s one of two movies in the MCU to get the green splat, but general moviegoers seem to think differently about Quantumania. 

Quantumania’s opening night on Thursday brought in $17.5 million ahead of a predicted $100 million debut weekend, per CNBC. Amidst this, thousands of Marvel fans put in their scores for the movie on Rotten Tomatoes. The audience score for the Ant-Man sequel has debuted way better than the critics score, currently standing at 84%, in contrast to the Tomatometer score of 48%. It looks like we have another crowd pleaser that didn’t impress reviewers! 

Quantumania’s critic score is comparable to 2021’s Eternals score, which came out to 47% against an audience score of 77%. They are “rotten” outliers in an otherwise mostly positive streak for Marvel Studios, which has pulled “fresh” scores on many occasions over the years. 2018’s Black Panther has the highest critics score for a Marvel movie with 96%. 

As far as audience score trends, moviegoers have generally loved MCU movies over the years on Rotten Tomatoes. The only time a Marvel film has received a “rotten” score from audiences was with 2019’s Captain Marvel, and it is believed that the score for that movie was sabotaged by trolls, even directly leading Rotten Tomatoes to change the functionality of its audience score at the time.  

So while many critics were not happy with Marvel’s direction for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, a lot of people seem to be walking out of the theater already with different opinions and happier feelings about the latest MCU entry. CinemaBlend had some divided feelings about the movie, with our Quantumania review from Eric Eisenberg giving the movie 2 out of 5 stars, calling it a “clunker.” On the other hand, Sean O’Connell gave the movie a 4 out of 5 in our site’s Quantumania spoiler-free video review. 

In other words, this movie is going to get fans talking, and there’s sure to be some distinction across the fandom regarding where it stands in comparison to other Marvel movies. You can certainly decide for yourself what you think about Paul Rudd’s return to his superhero character and the introduction of Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror with Quantumania out in theaters now. Once you’ve seen it, check out our breakdown of the Ant-Man 3 end-credits scenes to follow along regarding what the repercussions could be for future MCU movies.  

The following contains major spoilers for the end of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania marks the official beginning of Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and while it may have been initially a bit confusing why Marvel Studios decided to end Phase 4 with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever we now have a very clear understanding of why that was done, as the Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania ending has potentially significant repercussions for the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so it launches the new phase in a big way.

While Quantumania is largely a self-contained story dealing with Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang and his own journey of heroism, the movie does set up the core story that's to be told over the next two phases. Here’s a look at what happened and what it could mean for the future.

How Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania Ends 

It wouldn’t be a Marvel Studios movie if it didn’t end with a big punch-up between a superhero and a supervillain, and that is ultimately how Ant-Man: and the Wasp: Quantumania comes to a close. After getting some help from the natives of the Quantum Realm, and Hank Pym’s ants, to rise up against Jonathan Majors' Kang and his army, our heroes use Kang’s multiversal engine to power a portal back home, but Kang has a bit of fight left in him.

After Hank, Janet, and Hope go through the portal, Scott Lang pushes his daughter Cassie through before she gets blasted by Kang. A fistfight between the two ensues, and Kang easily gets the upper hand. But, the goals of the two fighters are not the same. Kang is trying to win in order to use the portal and get out of the Quantum Realm. Scott, finally understanding the value of heroism and sacrifice that has been a theme of the entire film, isn’t trying to save himself, he’s simply trying to stop Kang from winning. 

In the end, with a little help from a returning Hope, Kang is defeated, getting absorbed by his own multiversal engine. This destroys the gateway back home, leaving both Scott and Hope on the wrong side of it. Luckily, Cassie is able to rebuild the same quantum device that drew them into the quantum realm originally and she uses it to reopen a gateway from her side, allowing both to go home.

It seems like a happy ending. Scott and everybody else are back, and Kang has been defeated. In the final moments of Quantumania, however, Scott considers what Kang had said, that there are many more of him on the way. Kang’s plan, while it would have killed trillions, might have stopped them, but now that Kang is seemingly dead, does that mean that the world is now under a greater threat?

Why It All Matters To The Future Of The MCU 

Even outside of the Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania post-credits scenes, which we’ll discuss elsewhere, we know that Kang’s words to Scott Lang are quite important. Even if we didn’t know that the larger arc of the MCU would be coming to a close with a movie called Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, anybody who has watched the rest of the MCU knows that there are more of Kang out there, as the warning that he gave to Ant-Man is the same one that a different Kang gave to Loki.

In both the DIsney+ series and this movie we have a situation where a multiverse variant of Kang has attempted to stop the destruction caused by the others by managing the timeline. However, in both cases, this largely meant destroying universes and ending many lives. This Kang from Quantumania really didn't have a problem with that. He might have even been successful at stopping a bigger threat had he survived, but since he did not, we can guess that we’ll see more variants of Kang, and they might all end up being quite dangerous.

The Quantum Realm ended up being key to the success of the Avengers in the Infinity Saga, and while it's far too early to tell how earth's mightiest heroes will deal with this threat, it may have all been born in the Quantum Realm. While we've now seen several MCU stories that have used the multiverse concept in the plot, this is the first instance of one of the Avengers learning of the potential threat that the multiverse could be bringing with it. One hopes that Ant-Man has a chance to mention his Quantum Realm experience to some other heroes. 

A New Avenger? 

There is another reason why the ramifications of Quantumania might end up being quite important to the future MCU. A large part of Phase Four of the MCU was dedicated to various heroes “passing the torch” either formally or otherwise. We have a new Captain America in Sam Wilson. Florence Pugh seems to be taking on the role of a new Black Widow. We have a new Black Panther and Wakanda Forever also introduced us to Riri Williams, who will soon become Ironheart. Finally, there's Kate Bishop, the protege of Hawkeye, and now we even have She-Hulk. The list is not yet done, because Quantmania gives us a new Ant-Man, or an Ant-Woman, in Cassie Lang, as played by Kathryn Newton.

Officially, Ant-Man and the Wasp aren’t going anywhere. There was nothing at the end of the tale that indicates their stories will end here. However, it seems unlikely that we’ve seen the last of Cassie Lang the superhero either. With all of the other young heroes, so many of whom are also women, it feels like something is being built up here very intentionally, as well. 

While it will likely require hindsight to know for sure, it certainly feels like Ant-Man: and the Wasp: Quantumania is a big step forward in the larger Multiverse Saga that we are inside. Which upcoming Marvel movies will advance this along, and which will just be excellent movies to enjoy along the way? We’ll have to wait and see to find out, but almost certainly Quantumania is going to be one of the required films to get the whole story.

The MCU's Phase Four is officially over, and no matter what you thought of it, Marvel fans should be scrambling to get tickets to "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania," according to CinemaBlend's Sean O'Connell. Watch as he dives into Phase Five's exciting kick-off that gives us a whole new look at the Quantum Realm, introduces the new version of Kang that will be conquering screens in the Multiverse Saga, and so much more.

Video Chapters:

00:00 - Intro

01:30 - The Quantum Realm Is Top-Tier Marvel Sci-Fi

03:59 - More Focus on Janet and Hank

06:29 - Jonathan Majors' "Kang" Is Going To Be Huge

09:32 - Final Thoughts and Star Rating

11:03 - Outro

It was 2012 when I found out that Marvel was making an adaptation of Ant-Man, the hero that could shrink down to the size of an ant in order to take down his enemies. When I first heard about this hero, I’m pretty sure I had laughed my butt off. 

How could something so small be so mighty? We were living in the Marvel Cinematic Universe where we had heroes that were otherworldly, such as Thor, or super strong ones like Captain America and The Hulk – how could someone who shrinks down and gets big in size be a hero? Admittedly, that was a reason I didn’t watch the Ant-Man movies for some time, thinking they might not be good. 

But boy, was I wrong. 

And now, I really don’t understand why more people don’t enjoy these movies as much as some of the other Marvel movies, and why they aren’t getting the hype they deserve. It absolutely deserves more praise, and now before Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, I’m going to give you five good reasons to check them out. 

Paul Rudd Is An Absolute National Treasure

I mean, this isn’t that big of a surprise but Paul Rudd is an absolute treasure when it comes to these Ant-Man movies, oh my God. 

I’ve seen Paul Rudd in many things before. Obviously, I thought his portrayal of Ant-Man in the Avengers movies was funny – which was why I checked out these films in the first place – but there were plenty of other movies I had seen him in that made me laugh out loud. I’m talking about Anchorman, or Ghostbusters: Afterlife, or even the legendary, Clueless. I knew he was a funny guy. 

But then I saw him as Ant-Man and he was just born to play the role. You know how when you look at Ryan Reynolds and he just fits the part of Deadpool that you can’t imagine a single other person ever playing him? That’s what Rudd does for me with Ant-Man. His comedic timing lines up perfectly with the character, but he’s also able to act very dramatically when the time calls for it. 

Truly, I don’t think there’s been a better casting decision since Rudd was announced to play Ant-Man, because he’s just that good. 

The Music Is Honestly So Much Fun

Music is something that has always been deeply important to the world of Marvel. I’m sure at this point, we all have the Avenger’s theme memorized in our head. But something I’ve always personally loved about many Marvel films is their usage of modern day songs to set the scene. My favorite use of songs for a long time was Guardians of the Galaxy, but I have to say that Ant-Man took the cake for that, both with songs featured and score. 

Christophe Beck, who has composed music for other Marvel properties such as WandaVision and Hawkeye, really made such a fun score that really captures every single scene. My absolute favorite part of the first movie is the fight between Ant-Man and the Falcon – and now, it’s not just because I love Anthony Mackie in the MCU, but the music was just so much fun and made that scene that much more hype. 

It’s beautifully composed and I would certainly recommend the whole album to anyone who wants to listen to a great Marvel film soundtrack. You heard that awesome music in the trailer for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania – it just makes me even more hype to see the movie coming out. 

Evangeline Lilly Is Also A Great Hope Van Dyne

Let’s talk a little now about Ant-Man and the Wasp. I have to say, I do prefer the first film in terms of jokes and story, but the one thing that I did love about Ant-Man and the Wasp was letting Evangeline Lilly really shine as Hope Van Dyne. 

I’ve followed Evangeline Lilly for many years in her film and TV career, watching her in shows like Lost (and all its brilliant episodes) and movies such as The Hurt Locker, so I knew she was an incredible actress, but seeing her in the first Ant-Man felt almost like a let-down because I feel like she barely got the chance to really show off her talents. However, the second film gave her that chance to shine and boy did she. 

I loved Lilly as Hope Van Dyne. Not only is this character absolutely brilliant, but she’s just a freaking badass. Seeing her get that Wasp costume was one of the most incredible feelings because you know she has been waiting her entire life for this and there it was, served to her, passed down from her mother. I loved it. 

Also, The Jokes Are Better In These Films Than Any Other Marvel Film

I was actually lowkey expecting this just because I knew that Paul Rudd was the star of these movies, but wow, I wasn’t expecting to laugh as much as I did while watching them. I can fully say I believe that these movies are funnier than most other Marvel movies – maybe it’s just under Thor: Ragnarok, but it’s hard to beat that film. 

The first film was certainly a little funnier, but overall, both made me laugh a good amount. I especially just loved Paul Rudd’s jokes the most. I mean, that whole entire dialogue that he had with that one customer in Baskin Robbins, where he literally looked like he’d rather be anywhere else than right there – it had me holding my side, because wow, have I experienced that kind of pain. 

Also, this is random, but huge praise towards Michael Peña, who portrayed Luis in Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp. This man made me laugh more than I could've imagined and I would fully watch a spinoff of just him, please and thank you. 

The Action Is Stellar On A Molecular And Massive Scale

While there are plenty of action movies and superhero movies that are quite creative with their fight sequences, I feel like there are some that feel very generic. There have been plenty of great action moments in Marvel, such as The Avengers final battle or even Avengers: Endgame, but in other movies, others leave a little less to be desired. 

However, both Ant-Man films go beyond that and make their action so interesting to watch. Think about it – you’re watching someone shrink down and get big, but they still have intense strength and are able to take people down from their small or big state. The ways in which these scenes are done are so creative that I couldn’t take my eyes away from the screen. 

I have to say, I loved the action more in these movies than Black Widow and Thor: Love and Thunder combined, and both of those had immense action. It was just done better.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is going to be releasing soon, and with that will come even more intense action and more jokes (and a very scary Jonathan Majors). But if you haven’t had the chance to check out the Ant-Man movies, be sure to see them on Disney+ before you head to the theaters. It’ll be a good time, I swear – and take that from a former skeptic. 

Stream Ant-Man on Disney+. 
Stream Ant-Man and the Wasp on Disney+.

Paul Rudd might be known as one of the sexiest men alive and an A-list Hollywood star to movie-going audiences, but to his kids, he’s just dad. So, it should be no surprise that since the Avengers: Endgame star didn’t sit his kids down and explain what he did for a living, it led to confusion for the non-aging actor’s household. Mainly, at least one of his kids was convinced that he had worked at a movie theater for years. And Rudd, who is known for his pranking shenanigans, didn’t bother to correct this story. 

In a preview clip released Thursday of an upcoming episode of Sunday Today With Willie Geist, the I Love You, Man star says his son, Jack, saw one of his movie posters while attending a movie with some friends and he just assumed his dad worked there, which, the actor says he didn’t have the heart to correct him because he thought the mistake was too cute. Rudd joked:

That is pretty adorable of his son to assume, and maybe just as adorable that Rudd didn’t want to correct him. 

The Wanderlust actor added that it was years before his son realized that his father was Ant-Man himself--yes, the Paul Rudd. While his kids might have finally made the connection to who their father, the actor, is outside of his home life, in true Rudd fashion, he tried to keep the joke going. The actor told the show host, over the years, he would say to his son:

That is so like Rudd to keep a gag going for so long. For years, the actor pulled a long-running prank on talk show host Conan O’Brien where instead of bringing a promotional clip for a movie he starred in, the actor would bring the same hilariously bad clip of the poorly received McDonald’s produced (you read that right) E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial rip-off Mac and Me to every interview. You can see Bill Hader completely lose it as Rudd crashes his Conan interview and pulls the prank off one final time in the clip below.

We can only speculate whether or not children found this sort of long-running joke as funny as the SNL alum did. When the father of two and funny man isn’t pulling one over on his kids, he is starring in highly anticipated upcoming Marvel Movies. You can see how Phase 4 concludes when Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania blasts into cinemas on February 17th. 

Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is in the books and Phase Five is getting ready to make its debut. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will be the film that takes the next step in the larger Marvel Studios story, and based on early estimates a lot of people will be in the theater to see it when it opens, as the film is currently tracking to make more than $100 million in its first weekend.

Box Office Pro is currently projecting an opening weekend for Quantumania of somewhere between $98 million and $128 million. That’s not a number that’s going to break any records for Marvel Studios, but it would be a record for the Ant-Man franchise specifically, following in the footsteps of the fourth Thor film, which also put up its best numbers with its most recent entry. 

The first Ant-Man had the second lowest opening weekend of any Marvel film back in 2015, ahead only of The Incredible Hulk. Ant-Man and the Wasp put up a respectable $75 million when it opened in 2018. Both movies had solid international numbers, however, and Quantumania is getting a release in China, which is very good news for the global box office.

It will, however, be a significant step down for MCU movies of late. Even if Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania exceeds expectations and does $130 million or more, it will still be the lowest opening weekend for Marvel Studios since the pandemic. Thor: Love and Thunder opened with nearly $145 million and the last Marvel release, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, exceeded $180 million. Still, the film is on track to make more money than basically anything else coming out in February and it will all but certainly be successful and profitable.

Certainly, Ant-Man and the Wasp are not the most popular character in all of Marvel, so it’s not necessarily surprising that Quantumania isn’t going to set records. At the same time, the appearance of Jonathan Majors as Kang means the movie will likely be required viewing for anybody that wants to keep up on the larger MCU story. Kang will be the main villain of the next Avengers movie, so anybody who wants to keep up on that story will want to watch this one.

The question is how many people will feel the need to go to the theater to follow the story. Marvel movies have routinely been arriving on Disney+ after only a couple of months, so many might not feel a particular push to go back to the theater. Anybody who wants to watch the new Ant-Man who has Disney+ will be able to do so before the next MCU movie comes out, so there isn’t necessarily a massive rush.

Following Jeremy Renner’s near-fatal snowplow accident many of the Avengers assembled to show support for their pal. Now that the Mayor of Kingstown star is back at home and healing, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania stars Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly have both spoken with the Hawkeye actor, and they gushed about how well he’s doing, all things considered. 

Evangeline Lilly, who has worked with Renner in both the MCU and the Oscar-winning movie The Hurt Locker had an update about her friend, saying she had just seen him. The actress said she was at his house a few nights ago, and she told Access Hollywood he was moving around in a wheelchair. She described how impressed she was by his healing, by humorously saying:  

Then things got a bit deeper as Lilly went into detail about her interaction with Renner. She talked about walking into his house and how shocked she was to see him mobile. The Ant-Man star said:

It is remarkable how quickly Renner has met his progress goals for healing, considering he was hit while trying to save his nephew and broke over 30 bones. Lilly explained that she got a detailed description of what happened to the actor and what he remembers from the accident, saying:

Hearing this makes his recovery even more remarkable. Not only is he back at home and moving around after the traumatic accident, but he’s also still promoting his show Mayor of Kingstown. Not to mention, he's also still keeping the vibes high on Instagram with positive health updates. Lilly mentioned the recovery ahead for her friend and co-star, saying: 

Ant-Man himself, Paul Rudd, also commented on his Avengers: Endgame co-star’s health, revealing he had just talked with him to ET, and said: 

He also noted how much he cares for Renner, calling him “the best guy.” 

Along with Lilly and Rudd, many MCU alums have shown their support for Renner. Mark Ruffalo asked Marvel fans to pray for his OG Avengers co-star, Chris Evans had a funny exchange with the Hawkeye actor about the accident and wished the MCU star a happy birthday while he was in the hospital.

It’s clear there is a lot of love for Renner, especially from his MCU family, and it’s wonderful to not only see the Kingstown star on the road to recovery but also see all the support he has. 

To see Renner, Rudd and Lilly work together you can go back and watch the Marvel movies in order to see them all in various projects and then together in Avengers: Endgame. You can also check out Hawkeye with a Disney+ subscription, and you’ll be able to see Ant-Man and the Wasp back at it again when Quantumania hits theaters on February 17. 

It’s been a few years since we’ve seen Paul Rudd suit up as Ant-Man in the sequel Ant-Man and the Wasp and Avengers: Endgame. The tiny superhero is back in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, which has been tapped to not only usher the MCU into a new year but to kick off Marvel’s Phase 5. Anticipation is high, as Ant-Man will find himself getting sucked into the Quantum Realm and meeting Marvel’s next big villain — Kang the Conqueror, who did some pretty awful things in the comics. The movie premiered in Los Angeles on February 6, so let’s check out some of the first responses to the screening.

Jonathan Majors, who dedicated himself to getting into shape for this role, made his Marvel Cinematic Universe as the Kang variant He Who Remains in Loki, but audiences will obviously see a very different character when Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania hits theaters on February 17. The trippy trailer promises an adventure that should be Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne’s (Evangeline Lilly) biggest challenge yet, and Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) has apparently been keeping a big secret. Let’s check out the social media reactions to the film’s premiere screening.

Self-proclaimed Marvel nerd Nora Dominick of BuzzFeed praises the casting of Jonathan Majors, saying he brings complexity to the role of Kang the Conqueror: 

Film critic Fico Cangiano agrees that Jonathan Majors is a show-stealer once Kang makes his appearance, and he calls this movie the best of the Ant-Man trilogy: 

However, Daniel Baptista of The Movie Podcast feels Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is missing some of the comedy we’ve come to expect from the MCU blockbusters, and while there are aspects that are “astonishing,” Baptista calls the movie overambitious: 

Critic Simon Thompson also thinks the movie never quite finds its footing, positing that the “messy spectacle” chooses style over substance: 

A number of those who saw an early screening of the threequel are comparing it to Star Wars, including Kristian Harloff, who says it’s an epic sci-fi story that won’t work for all fans but it wraps nicely: 

Writer Michael Lee says director Peyton Reed’s work on The Mandalorian pays off in this Ant-Man film in terms of production and character design. He says the movie has a good balance of action, humor and heart: 

Rayyan of The Cine Geek agrees that there’s a good balance of comedy while still keeping the family aspect at the forefront. The script is smart, though the writer says the CGI is a bit overused: 

Those who have seen Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania also mention that there are two post-credit scenes to be on the lookout for. We’ll be able to find out more about where this one will fall in the ranking of Marvel movies when reviews come out on February 14, so check back to CinemaBlend then! In the meantime, make sure you’re caught up on everything you need to know about Marvel’s Phase 5, and you can take a look at the other upcoming Marvel movies, as well as what else is set to hit theaters soon with our 2023 Movie Release Schedule. 

As the Marvel Cinematic Universe surpasses the 30 films in its collection with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania kicking off Phase 5, the franchise is doing something we’ve yet to see come to fruition. A memoir, written by one of the Avengers, is coming to bookshelves this year. For real. Fans of the franchise will literally be able to own and read Scott Lang’s book Look Out For The Little Guy, following the title being featured in the latest Ant-Man movie. 

Marvel made the official announcement on Thursday that Look Out For The Little Guy will officially be released under Hyperion Avenue on September 5. Preorders are already available on Disney Books, along with this statement from Scott Lang himself: 

Paul Rudd was part of the announcement in a big way (in the video above), introducing in a video for Marvel about the release of Look Out For The Little Guy. As Rudd explains in the video, the “once movie prop” is now an actual book that can be purchased wherever books are sold. As he aptly said, “How’s that for meta?” He also quipped that he’s “almost certain it was not written by me”, leaving the question what ghostwriter got the assignment of writing Scott Lang’s memoir for the MCU? 

As Rudd also explained, Look Out For The Little Guy will pull back the curtain of “the man behind Ant-Man.” The book is 256 pages long, and per Marvel, will feature 20 short pieces exploring various aspects of Scott Lang’s life, including his “official account of what really happened between the Avengers and Thanos.” The book is retailing at $26.99 and fans will get to hold the book in real life this fall. 

Considering all the fun humor of Scott Lang we see in the movies, it’s a genius idea for the Marvel Cinematic Universe to get into publishing with Look Out For The Little Guy, and could very well open the door for more books from Marvel characters in the future. It will serve as a fun memento for Marvel fans and might even provide more insights into the character that Scott Lang doesn’t get to explore on the big screen. 

Since it’s written from the character’s perspective, don’t expect any behind the scenes talk on why Edgar Wright didn’t helm the first Ant-Man or Paul Rudd’s intense exercise regiment to stay in superhero shape. This is very much all fantasy and operating within the world of the MCU. It’s also a great bit of marketing from Marvel’s part alongside the latest Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania trailer.

Ahead of the book’s release, you can get context about Scott Lang’s memoir in Quantumania, hitting theaters on February 17. Look forward to a slew of upcoming Marvel movies in 2023 after that. 

With superhero movies being all the rage there are so many actors that need to get in, and stay in, superhero shape. While a bit of padding in the superhero costume and a bit of CGI can always help the effect, the stars still need to work out so that audiences will buy them as superheroes. This includes Ant-Man himself Paul Rudd, who apparently put himself through a lot for the first film because he knew he had a shirtless scene, though the shot never made the final film.

Speaking with Men’s Health about his workout and diet regime, Paul Rudd says that he actually likes the routine that has been put together when he needs to get into superhero shape, saying that he feels like less of an imposter while wearing the costume. Still, it’s a pretty serious routine that involves starting the workout before you even have breakfast. Rudd explained…

Considering the fact that most of the superhero costumes that we see in the movies cover the actors from head-to-toe, many of them could likely get away with not going quite as hard on the workout. But when the movie requires the actor to walk around without a shirt, then there’s really nowhere to hide. Just ask Chris Hemsworth, who has shown off more than his shirtless body in the past. While Paul Rudd has never had a shirtless scene in the MCU, it turns out he almost did. And while it frustrated him to see the scene cut, because he’d done the work, he also admits that he likely wouldn’t have been able to take it seriously. Rudd continues… 

The scene was cut from the film, but it was released as a deleted scene so it can be found for those that are looking for it.

I’m not sure everybody would agree that a shirtless Paul Rudd isn’t essential, but either way, we have yet to really see the hard work the actor has put in to get into superhero shape. It sounds like there probably isn’t a newly filmed shirtless scene in the forthcoming Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, but I suppose we’ll find out when the film hits theaters in a couple of weeks.  

Though the history of Marvel movies in order is a massive machine at this point in time, the humble beginnings that built it were sometimes a bit rough. Coincidentally, one such scenario was the making of Ant-Man, which was originally set to be directed and co-written by Edgar Wright. Some massive creative differences came to pass, and ultimately the project moved in another direction, which has led co-writer Joe Cornish to discuss just why Wright’s take on the hero didn’t work in the MCU.

Related: Marvel Movies In Order: How To Watch The MCU By Release Date And Chronologically

As The Playlist spoke with the Attack the Block director for its in-house podcast, this oft-visited subject of discussion came up once more. Offering a fresh viewpoint on what exactly prompted the shift to Peyton Reed’s Ant-Man variant, which still credited him and Wright as story writers, Joe Cornish provided the following explanation: 

In his remarks, Cornish brought up the fact that Ant-Man kicked off its development before Iron Man had really hammered in the start of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s meteoric beginnings. What “overtook” the Joe Cornish/Edgar Wright script was the fact that by time it was getting closer to production, a pre-Phase 1 Scott Lang just wasn’t going to cut it for Marvel Studios. 

The road maps had started taking form, and the machinery was in place to continue building to The Avengers and beyond. So Adam McKay and Paul Rudd changed the script through some punch-up work that turned the film into what you can currently revisit, should you have a Disney+ subscription. This was something that may or may not have added additional injury to the situation overall.

Joe Cornish’s sentiments track what Edgar Wright said about Ant-Man, as his collaborator/director stated that while he was all in on Marvel, they weren’t all in on his style. Over the years, we’ve seen the wake of this massive “what if” scenario lead to revelations like that of Wright admitting he’ll never watch Ant-Man. Ultimately, the story does have a happy ending, as Last Night in Soho’s mastermind is on quite good terms with Kevin Feige after letting the dust settle over several years. 

Years after Ant-Man almost fell apart, Edgar Wright has continued to make “Edgar Wright movies,” and the Marvel Studios lineup has, for better or worse, continued as planned with only some alterations. The franchise in question is in a pretty good place too, as Paul Rudd’s MCU hero is about to jump into the fray again with next month’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. 

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is set to crawl into the Quantum Realm on February 17th. For all other movies arriving at a theater near you in the coming year, Marvel or otherwise, the 2023 new movie releases schedule has all the information you could need... at least, for this specific part of the multiverse. 

Following a massive couple of years that have ushered in a new era of the Marvel Cinematic Universe without Iron Man and Captain America, the franchise will kick the Multiverse Saga into high gear next month with the next Ant-Man movie. Yes, Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania is the next big deal in the MCU. In fact, it’s set to introduce the next major villain for the Avengers. And, yes, we all love Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang, but if you’re surprised his movie is kicking off Phase Five, you’re not the only one. However, Kevin Feige is here to provide some clarity on the matter. 

So, why is Quantumania that special upcoming Marvel movie that will set the tone for Phase 5? Marvel boss Kevin Feige recently shared the answer to this with these words: 

Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man was introduced in 2015, and he has subsequently had a 2018 sequel along with appearing in two major Marvel team-up movies, Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Endgame. Scott Lang had a major role in the Avengers saving the universe too, considering his superhero tech and the Quantum Realm. As Feige shared with Empire, Ant-Man has “earned” the position of kicking off Phase 5. 

In the February release, Ant-Man will find himself getting sucked into the Quantum Realm and meeting Marvel’s next big bad, Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror, who seriously got into shape for the role. In the latest Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania trailer, we get a look at what to expect from the next MCU movie. Check it out: 

Since the trailer recently dropped, fans have been majorly rooting for Kang and his highly-anticipated debut in the MCU via Quantumania. It looks like Kang is going to tempt Scott Lang with the luxury of time after losing five years of not only his life, but his daughter’s childhood thanks to Thanos’ Snap. Kathryn Newton will play Cassie Lang, who is now a teenager following the events of Endgame. Additionally, Evangeline Lily, Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfieffer are back as the Van Dynes. 

The question that fans are asking themselves as we await Quantumania is what Scott Lang’s role will be in the larger MCU. Is it possible he could die at the end of the threequel? Or, will he continue to find a large role in The Avengers as the many new MCU stars such as Shang-Chi and Ms. Marvel find their own place in the universe as well? We’ll soon begin to find out when Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania hits theaters this February 17.

Earlier this week, superhero fans were treated to the latest Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania trailer. Since 2015, viewers have come to expect the Paul Rudd-led franchise to deliver lighthearted and humorous superhero stories. But director Peyton Reed’s third outing with Scott Lang and co. seems to be telling a much bigger and darker tale. There’s a lot to process in the explosive footage but, above all, one can’t help but get the feeling that this film could spell the end for the lovable Lang. He could indeed bite the bullet, and I honestly wouldn’t have a problem with that. 

Let me be clear, I absolutely adore the character of Scott Lang. He’s the everyman that fans can identify with in the crazy and unpredictable world that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The sheer amount of levity that he brings to the occasionally catastrophic proceedings is always welcome, too. Though there are plenty of reasons to keep him around (and I wouldn’t be upset if he lives), Quantumania may provide the perfect opportunity to write him out. So sit back, and let me explain why Lang’s demise here could be ideal: 

Scott Lang’s Death In Quantumania Would Bring His Franchise Full Circle

Fans will probably remember that in Ant-Man’s first solo adventure in the MCU, he faced off with the villainous Darren Cross/Yellowjacket (who is seemingly returning in Quanumania as a new character). The pair’s battle would conclude in the bedroom of young Cassie Lang, where Scott would defeat Cross by going subatomic in order to damage his armor. For a moment (to Cassie and her soon-to-be stepdad, Paxton), it seemed that the ex-con had sacrificed himself. Luckily, he was able to return from the Quantum Realm and reunite with his daughter. Interestingly, it looks like this third installment could put him in a similar spot, and things could turn out differently.

The relationship between Scott and Cassie has been the emotional core of this superhero series and is one of the most endearing bonds in the entire MCU. Considering that the series began with Scott being willing to lose his life for his little girl, it would be fitting if he does truly do it this time around. It’d be a tragic development, to say the least but also incredibly poetic given Scott’s arc. 

Quantumania Could Give Ant-Man A Death That Rivals Even Those Of Iron Man And Black Widow

Nearly four years later, much of the Marvel faithful are still mourning the deaths of Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff, who were both given exits fitting of true heroes. (Though some may make arguments against Nat’s fate on Volmir.) Their passings held a considerable amount of weight, and it’s not often that a character gets such a fate. But Quantumania can deliver that very thing to Ant-Man via his trilogy capper.

The upcoming third movie is going to pit Scott Lang, Hope van Dyne and their allies against the maniacal Kang the Conqueror, and he already appears to be a force to be reckoned with. It’s no secret that the character is all-powerful and is being primed to be a Thanos-level threat amid the Multiverse Saga. I don’t know about all of you, but I’d find it (bitter)sweet if Lang gave his life to stop this particular Kang variant from causing chaos. Ant-Man – while lovable – has always been viewed as goofy, and there’s just something cool about the idea of him being the first Avenger to tangle with and sacrifice himself to stop an iteration of the powerful villain.

Ant-Man’s Demise Would Serve As Further Proof That Kang Is Not To Be Messed With

So far, we’ve only gotten a taste of Kang the Conqueror via his witty variant, He Who Remains, from Loki. The variation being presented to us in Quantumania is clearly a different kind of beast, however. The latest trailer suggests that he’s incredibly ruthless and doesn’t mind coming to blows with someone. (I’m still reeling from the sight of him straight-up stomping on Scott's helmet.)

Thanos seemed intimidating from the moment he turned around and smirked during the mid-credits scene of The Avengers. But it took some time for him to actually show how much of a force he is, to the point that some fans began joking about him always resting on his throne whenever he popped up early on. The third Ant-Man flick will mark the first appearance of Kang proper, and it would be very gutsy of Marvel Studios’ to have him kill one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes during his debut. I can’t think of a better way to usher in the arrival of the next Big Bad than by giving him a meaningful first kill.

Scott Lang’s Death Could Serve As A Motivator For Cassie And The Avengers

Of course, Scott’s death would send ripple effects throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe. More immediately though, his loved ones would feel the impact in a major way. It’s specifically sad to think about Cassie mourning her dad. But what it could do in the long run is push the teen even further down the path of a superhero. It’s been teased that Cassie will get in on the heroics this time around by taking up her alter ego from the comics: Stinger. In the books, she’s also gone by the moniker of Stature and served as a member of the Young Avengers. Cassie’s future in the MCU has yet to be revealed, but it wouldn’t be surprising at all if she’s further inspired to follow in her dad’s footsteps in the event that he dies. 

There’s also the matter of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, who will seemingly face Kang head-on in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. I feel that the heroes would be distraught upon learning that one of their key allies has died at the hands of the conqueror. His sacrifice would surely give them an extra layer of motivation, as they prepare for their multiversal face-off with the imposing antagonist. 

Every third MCU installment has seen a hero lose something. Tony Stark saw his house, gadgets and suits of armor get destroyed. Thor lost Mjolnir, his homeworld and an eye. Steve Rogers closed out his trilogy without his shield, his status as a national hero and his friendship with Stark. And of course, the Avengers lost half the universe in Infinity War. The stage is clearly set for Scott Lang to lose something, and I think it could (and probably should) be his life. Yet we’ll just have to wait a few more weeks to see if that’s how it pans out.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania opens in theaters on February 17 as part of the schedule of 2023 new movie releases. In the meantime, you can stream the first two installments and most of the Marvel movies in order using a Disney+ subscription.

Now that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever brought some major epic moments to the MCU, we await Phase 5. Kicking things off in 2023 is Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania with the return of Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas and Michelle Pffeifer. The latest about the upcoming Marvel movie is that another fan-favorite from the franchise is coming back, per posters circulating in theaters ahead of the release. 

As one Marvel fan pointed out on Twitter, David Dastmalchian will officially be among Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’s cast. In the photo below, if you look really closely at the right of the poster underneath Kang the Conqueror's hand, the actor's name is on display. So, Kurt Goreshter is back! 

Kurt Goreshter was introduced as a cybercriminal who was part of Scott Lang’s team he worked with on his heists. He also served as a bit of fun comedic relief throughout the 2015 movie.  Kurt also appeared in the 2018 sequel too, so it's great that David Dastmalchian is reprising the role for the third Ant-Man movie. 

Earlier this year, David Dastmalchian was asked about whether he was set to return and he said that it “doesn’t look like it.” Either he was an addition to the film late in the production process, or he put on a good poker face for a journalist. Marvel stars seem to always be sworn to secrecy, so we wouldn’t be surprised about the latter. 

While observing the Quantumania poster being displayed in theaters, other realizations were also drawn. For example, Michael Peña’s name is not on the poster after playing Luis in the other two Ant-Man movies. However, because an actor is not on the poster, it doesn’t mean they are not in the movie.

All the actors that are officially listed on the massive poster are Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Jonathan Majors (who is playing the film’s major villain Kang), Bill Murray, Michelle Pfeiffer and Michael Douglas at the top. By that measure, Murray in particular is getting a rather big bump in the movie. As far as all the names placed on that right corner are Kathryn Newton as Scott’s all-grown up daughter Cassie Lang, William Jackson Harper and Katy O’Brian. We don’t know what the latter two actors are playing in the movie, but many theorize The Good Place star will play Reed Richards. 

As the Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantamania trailer teases, the movie will see the Marvel heroes exploring the Quantum Realm together and going head to head with a new villain in Kang the Conqueror. It’ll be exciting to look out for David Dastmalchian’s Kurt Goreshter back in action and cracking funny jokes when the movie hits theaters on February 17, 2023.

After a year filled with COVID-related delays, it looks like Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is finally kicking into gear, meaning fans can look forward to plenty of Marvel movies in the near future. One of these superhero flicks is Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, the third installment in the tiny Avengers’ film series. We have quite a bit of time before the film arrives, but we’ve still got you covered on some facts you need to know, such as its release date, director and cast.

A third Ant-Man movie was first reported to be in active development back in 2019. But during Marvel Studios’ presentation during Disney Investor Day in December 2020, studio head Kevin Feige confirmed the film’s official title as Quantumania and dropped a few other sweet details as well. As you can imagine, the studio is mostly keeping things under wraps when it comes to the threequel, but what we do know should be enough to get fans excited. So let’s dive right into this installment of our What We Know So Far guides:

The Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania Release Date Is Set For February 17, 2023

It was initially suggested that Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania would be released sometime in 2022. Unfortunately, the COVID-induced changes in Marvel’s Phase 4 schedule resulted in a number of films getting shifted. In May 2021, Marvel Studios confirmed that the film would land on February 17, 2023 but, by October 2021, it was delayed to July 28, 2023. But this past April, Quantumania returned to the February 17 slot after switching places with The Marvels.

This marks the first time that an Ant-Man film has ever been released in the month of February, as both of its predecessors landed summer release dates. While the franchise definitely gives off those poppy, summer blockbuster vibes, Quantumania, should still feel right at home in a winter month.

Peyton Reed Is Directing Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania

Marvel Studios has been known to change out directors within their franchises, with the Thor and Captain Marvel movies being among the biggest examples. However, the studio has also been maintaining creative continuity in other series by holding onto certain filmmakers. This is the case for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, as Peyton Reed is returning to the director’s chair for the new movie. Following Edgar Wright’s departure from 2015’s Ant-Man, Reed stepped in and crafted a fun film that was a hit at the box office, and he brought that same energy to the 2018 sequel.

After two films, Peyton Reed has proven that he understands this corner of the MCU and has managed to make Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly’s heroes formidable characters. He’s also injected plenty of heart and humor into the movies, all while creating some quirky action sequences. Based on its trailer, Quantumania is set to be Reed’s most dramatic entry in this series. But at the end of the day, he still seems to be putting emphasis on the partnership between the titular duo. All in all, Reed is the right filmmaker for the job, and it’ll be interesting to see what he has in store for this new big-screen adventure.

Rick And Morty Alum Jeff Loveness Is Writing Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania

Although the franchise is keeping its director, it’s making a change in the writing department. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania tapped Jeff Loveness as its screenwriter. The previous movies had several credited writers, including Edgar Wright, Adam McKay, Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari and even Paul Rudd himself. Needless to say, this franchise has gone through quite a few scribes.

Jeff Loveness has written for Jimmy Kimmel Live! as well as the comedy anthology series Miracle Workers and the hit animated show Rick and Morty, for which he was honored with an Emmy. On top of all this, Loveness has also written a number of Marvel Comics, tackling the characters of Groot, Nova and Spider-Man. His résumé is definitely varied, but his experience with comedy and comics makes him a perfect candidate for this job. His experience with interdimensional-centric stories (via R&M) was probably very invaluable as he crafted what appears to be a very trippy Ant-Man story.

Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania Will Send The Two Heroes And Their Loved Ones Into The Quantum Realm

As seen in the trailer for Ant-Man and the Wasp:Quantumania, Scott Lang is floating on air, as the ex-con-turned-superhero has become a bonafide celebrity. This is likely due to the role he played in saving half the universe during Avengers: Endgame. His world gets shaken up, though, when an experiment goes awry and he, his daughter Cassie, Hope van Dyne, Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne are all transported to the Quantum Realm. While there, the group will have to face the pitfalls of the microverse while also contending with the villainous Kang the Conqueror.

It also seems that the movie will feature a few other notable plot threads. The teenaged Cassie Lang will apparently become a hero in her own right. (It looks like she might take on the moniker of Stinger.) Meanwhile, the trailer teased that Janet is hiding a major secret from her loved ones. What that is is unclear at this point, but it’s possible that it’ll have major ramifications on the overall narrative.

What Will Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania Be Rated?

A film’s rating is usually something that viewers ponder ahead of its release, and that’s especially true when it comes to comic book movies. Over the years, the superhero genre has welcomed flicks that have varied in terms of ratings. That being said, Marvel Studios has remained incredibly consistent when it comes to its ratings, so it’s easy to assume which one Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will receive.

It’s not confirmed at this point in time, but there’s a good chance that Quantumania will be rated PG-13. Every single one of the other MCU films holds that rating, and it’s hard to see anything different happen here. The Ant-Man franchise has featured thematic elements, though it’s also arguably the Marvel Studios’ most family-friendly series, given that Kang is involved, it’s possible that things could get a bit more intense. Still, unless things took an incredibly sharp turn during the development process, the studio will likely look to keep things consistent with this third movie.

The Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania Characters And Cast

When it comes to the strength of its cast, the Ant-Man franchise stands alongside some of the best Marvel movies. The star-studded ensemble has been a pure delight since the first installment, and the stars’ chemistry with each other is always fun to see. Some of the returning cast members may already be obvious, but not everyone is returning. Still, Quantumania has plenty of strong franchise vets and a few newcomers in the fold.

Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd)

The lovable (and seemingly ageless) Paul Rudd is back in the role of Scott Lang, the reckless but well-meaning ex-con who became the second Ant-Man. The character has had quite the journey in the MCU. He took on the villainous Yellowjacket and even fought an Avenger in his first film before getting involved in the game-changing events of Captain America: Civil War. It was that movie that led to him being put under house arrest by the events of Ant-Man and the Wasp. Lang was last seen in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, in which he played a pivotal role in undoing Thanos’ actions. As mentioned, Scott’s become a bit of an A-lister by the time the third film opens, but I’d expect him to get humbled when he enters the Quantum Realm.

Hope van Dyne/The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly)

Of course, there is no Ant-Man without the Wasp and, luckily for him (and us), Evangeline Lilly’s Hope van Dyne will once again suit up alongside him. Hope has come a long way since her MCU debut in the 2015 film. Originally estranged from father Hank Pym, they eventually reconciled, and she continued her mother’s legacy by taking on her mother’s superhero moniker. Hope, unfortunately, became a casualty of Thanos’ Snap but was restored five years later in Avengers: Endgame. While she had plenty of cool moments in Ant-Man and the Wasp, Hope was sidelined a bit during the chaos of Endgame. Hopefully, Peyton Reed has some nice things in store for her here and allows the character to evolve further.

Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas)

The new Ant-Man and Wasp may be at the forefront, but the OGs aren’t going anywhere. This includes Michael Douglas’ Hank Pym, who will be along for the ride once again. As one of the MCU’s earliest heroes, Pym is incredibly important within the history of the franchise. While he’s no longer a costumed crusader, he has been instrumental in aiding Scott and Hope’s heroics. He even suited up himself when entering the Quantum Realm to find and rescue his wife in the 2018 follow-up. Like his daughter and spouse, he died during the Snap but returned five years later. Pym’s knowledge of the microverse could be huge in this third film, meaning Douglas could have his biggest role in a Marvel movie to date.

Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer)

Fans were excited when it was announced that Michelle Pfeiffer would play Janet van Dyne in Ant-Man and the Wasp, and the former Catwoman actress did not disappoint. While Janet’s role in the movie was brief, Pfeiffer certainly made the most of her screen time. As far as we know, following her return in Endgame, she’s back in the world and living happily with her husband. Quantumania has the potential to give Janet her biggest role in an MCU film yet. Her vast knowledge of the Quantum Realm will make her invaluable, as she and her loved ones attempt to navigate it. And let’s not forget that aforementioned secret she’s keeping, which could really shake things up.

Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton)

Although Cassie Lang is a character MCU fans are more than familiar with, she’ll look a bit different when they next see her. Freaky star Kathryn Newton will play the character this time around, following in the footsteps of Abby Ryder Fortson and Emma Fuhrmann. Cassie was first introduced to viewers as a six-year-old who idolized her father, and that admiration only grew when she found out he’d become a superhero. Due to the five-year gap between Infinity War and Endgame, Cassie is now a teenager and, as the trailer showed, she’ll be suiting up alongside Scott and Hope, presumably as Stinger. This would signify yet another step towards the MCU’s version of the Young Avengers. Cassie’s heroic turn has been a long time coming, and one can only hope that it lives up to the hype.

Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors)

Ant-Man and Wasp have faced off with their fair share of baddies, but not even Thanos could possibly prepare them to take on the imposing Kang the Conqueror. The fan-favorite comic book villain is being played by Lovecraft Country and The Harder They Fall star Jonathan Majors. The rising star previously appeared on Loki as He Who Remains, a variant of Kang. The character’s death at the hands of Sylvie freed his evil variants and, now, Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne will be the first MCU heroes to encounter Kang proper. Based on what we’ve seen of him so far, he’s a far cry from He Who Remains and will push the titular heroes to their limits.

TBA (Bill Murray)

Last fall, Bill Murray revealed that he’d be in a Marvel movie, which was revealed to be Quantumania. The actor appeared briefly in the trailer and, as of right now, we’ve yet to learn the identity of his character. One thing the actor did reveal is that he’s playing an antagonist of sorts. It’s also been speculated that he has a history with Janet van Dyne. We’ll have to wait and see how things turn out, but it wouldn’t be surprising if the comedic actor does end up playing a self-deprecating villain.

TBA (William Jackson Harper)

Another The Good Place alum is headed to the MCU after Jameela Jamil’s turn in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. William Jackson has been tapped for an undisclosed role in the Ant-Man threequel. It’s not hard to see why Peyton Reed and Marvel Studios would seek out the star, as he’s put in stellar work in the aforementioned sitcom and shows like The Resort and Love Life. Of course, one has to wonder who he might be playing. Internet chatter would suggest that he’ll portray Reed Richards of the Fantastic Four, but we’ll just have to wait and see.

Jimmy Woo (Randall Park)

Fans first met delightful FBI agent Jimmy Woo in Ant-Man and the Wasp, and he’s since become a fan favorite. It’s only fitting that Randall Park’s quirky character return to the franchise for its latest installment. The last time audiences saw Jimmy Woo was in Disney+’s WandaVision, in which he was brought in to help contend with Wanda Maximoff’s actions in Westview in New Jersey. What he does during this upcoming MCU installment remains to be seen.

It’s no secret that of all the films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Ant-Man flicks have arguably featured the smallest stories. There are no universe-conquering Mad Titans or reality-bending sorcerers to be found in this series. But Quantumania is definitely going to up the ante. Given that they’re making a trilogy capper that features an iconic villain, Peyton Reed and Marvel Studios are going to have to bring their A-game here. But seeing as how the first two movies were so strong, there’s reason for fans to be hopeful about this new installment.

Be sure to catch Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania when it opens in theaters on February 17 as part of the schedule of 2023 new movie releases. And while you’re waiting for the film, catch up on the previous Ant-Man movies or, if you’re feeling even more ambitious, you can go back and watch most of the Marvel movies in order using a Disney+ subscription. 

Marvel gifted fans with the first trailer for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania earlier this week, and it definitely made an impression. The footage from Peyton Reed’s upcoming threequel teases a thrilling adventure that should serve as Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne’s greatest challenge yet. In addition to showing off some trippy visuals and the first look at the maniacal Kang the Conqueror, the trailer also teased that Janet van Dyne has been keeping a big secret. But what exactly is the former superhero hiding?

Quantumania will see Scott, Hope, Janet, Hank Pym and Cassie Lang get transported to the Quantum Realm. Those who’ve followed the Marvel Cinematic Universe up to this point surely know that Janet was trapped in the unpredictable dimension for decades. With that in mind, it’s possible that she had some very interesting experiences there – some that she’d probably prefer to forget. We can’t say for sure what she’s referring to when she said there was something she hadn’t told Hope, but we sure can speculate about it.

Janet Is Afraid Of A Dangerous Power That Lies Within The Quantum Realm

Even before the trailer for Quantumania debuted, it was already clear that the Quantum Realm is an incredibly dangerous place. Janet, of course, knows that better than most, given that she spent so much time there. Based on the early footage from the threequel, she’s uneasy about making contact with the “secret universe beneath ours” let alone re-entering it. So one could get the feeling that maybe there’s some kind of specific force or power that has her concerned. 

Now, I know what you might be thinking, and Kang, who committed some dark deeds in the comics, isn’t what I’m referring to here. (He and the other variants weren’t freed until He Who Remains’ death in Loki.) What we’re talking about here is a theoretical force of nature, which could factor into the abilities van Dyne gained during her stay in the microverse. It’s a reasonable assumption and, if it proves to be the case, it could actually still involve Kang. Such a power could be related to the bargain that the conqueror apparently tries to strike up with Scott Lang.

Janet Committed Some Unsavory Acts While She Was Trapped In The Realm

Ant-Man’s 2018 sequel unfortunately didn’t have the time to dive deep into Janet’s exploits during the time that she was “lost.” Thankfully, MCU literature has remedied that by providing some invaluable information. Per The Art of Ant-Man and the Wasp, Janet encountered a number of civilizations and was ultimately accepted by one of them. Apparently, she even became a high-ranking member of a society and eventually managed to integrate their tech with her suit. This all sounds nice on the surface, but who’s to say that all of that came together in a peaceful way?

If she’s anything like her husband, Ms. van Dyne surely doesn’t mind doing what’s necessary to get what she wants. Her “acceptance” into said society could’ve been the result of her forcing her way in somehow. One also can’t help but wonder just how she became a bigwig in the community, either. I mean, did she knock off a few people in order to get to the top? That may sound far-fetched on the surface, but it would be interesting from a narrative standpoint. For years, Hank and Hope held Janet to a very high standard while reflecting on her memory. To have that level of reverence be rocked in some way could make for some compelling drama. 

The OG Wasp Came Into Conflict With Bill Murray’s Mysterious Character At Some Point

The Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania trailer also provided the first official look at Bill Murray’s MCU character, who’s yet to be named. Murray previously stated that he’s playing a “bad guy,” though it remains to be seen whether he was just joking around at the time. But one thing we can surmise based on the single shot of him is that he’s a man of means. So he could indeed be a high-ranking member of society, just as Janet van Dyne once was, and it’s even been rumored that the two characters do indeed have a history.

Countering the previous theory I offered up, maybe Janet was a benevolent force within the Quantum Realm and drew the ire of Bill Murray’s character at some point. With that, she could be worried about some kind of retribution when she returns with her family in tow. A development like that would add a solid additional layer of conflict on top of the battle with Kang. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’d totally be down to see Michelle Pfeiffer trade a few good barbs with Murray. 

Janet Van Dyne Formed An Entirely New Family During Her Time In The Quantum Realm

So this one may sound a bit crazy, but hear me out. Because Janet was trapped in the Quantum Realm for some time, it’s possible that she didn’t think she’d get out, before she learned that the door to the realm opens every so often. It’s not wild to think that in the interim, Janet became close with someone and maybe started another family. Now, you may be wondering, “So if that’s the case, then why would she leave them so easily?” If a “quantum family” does theoretically exist, Janet could’ve come clean with them about Hank and Hope and made a (potentially messy) break from them sometime before her husband on earth rescued her.

This kind of revelation would really shake up the dynamic within the Pym/van Dyne brood. Imagine just how shattered Hank would be to learn that his love moved on while he, to our knowledge, remained faithful. And such a reveal would also be absolutely devastating for Hope, who longed for her mother’s presence for decades. I don’t even want to think about how the younger van Dyne would react if she learned that someone else received her mom’s love during the time that she was without her. Definitely take this theory with a grain of salt, but I’m certainly not ruling it out. 

Regardless of what happens with Janet van Dyne in Quantumania, I’m just glad that it appears she’s going to get to do more this time around. Michelle Pfeiffer loves being part of Ant-Man and the MCU, and it would certainly behoove director Peyton Reed and writer Jeff Loveness to utilize her talents. (Also, Pfeiffer got into superhero shape for the threequel, so one would hope that she gets a few solid action sequences.) I’m eager to see what lies ahead for Janet and what her big secret ends up being. 

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, one of the biggest upcoming Marvel movies, hits theaters on February 17 as part of the schedule of 2023 movie new releases. While you wait for it to premiere, you can stream the first two films in the franchise using a Disney+ subscription.