Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is one of the most highly anticipated projects in the MCU, with a big reason being a further introduction to Kang The Conquerer, played by Jonathan Majors. We first saw Majors join Marvel's connected universe with Loki in 2021, where he played He Who Remains, a Kang variant who sought to protect the sacred timeline. But, of course, his character was killed during the finale, meaning every variation of Kang was unleashed, with Ant-Man presumably being the first Avenger to meet him.
The stakes in Quantumania feel far higher than in the previous two Ant-Man movies, even if the discovery of the Quantum Realm in Ant-Man and the Wasp ultimately leads to the defeat of Thanos in Avengers: Endgame. In the upcoming third movie, audiences will finally get a proper look at the big bad of the Multiverse Saga, and longtime Marvel producer Brian Gay tells One Take News that Quantumania will feel like a "real departure" from the previous entries.
"You know, I'm very excited to share that project with you guys early next year," Gay says. "At the moment, one thing I enjoyed about this movie is we've always joked that Ant-Man movies go small but this one's going to go big!" The news should excite fans, as Quantumania is already confirmed to be a big team-up movie. "We were able to show some things at D23 and we will have more coming in the fall and of course ahead of the premiere early next year but I will say it's fun to have the whole family back and they're gonna go [on] quite a big adventure that I think it's going to feel like a real departure from the previous films."
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Kicks Off Phase 5 in the MCU
Much of Phase 4 in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has spent time introducing new characters and setting the stage for what's to come in the rest of the Multiverse Saga. Films and shows like Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Ms.Marvel, Moon Knight, and Eternals introduced audiences to brand-new characters not seen in the MCU. Now that the introductory phase is over, it's time to push the plot forward with films like Quantumania.
The next Ant-Man will be the first movie in Phase 5, arriving in theaters on February 17, 2023. Secret Invasion, the Disney+ series focusing on Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury and the Skrulls, debuts on the streaming platform shortly after, in Spring 2023. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Echo, Blade, Daredevil Born Again, Thunderbolts, and Loki Season 2 will all arrive in 2023 and 2024.
Of course, this is all leading to the climactic Phase 6, with movies such as Fantastic Four, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, and Avengers: Secret Wars rolling out in late 2024 and 2025. Marvel fans have a lot to look forward to, as we are just getting started in the Multiverse Saga. Brian Gay's next project, the Disney+ Halloween special Werewolf by Night, is slated to arrive on the streaming platform next week, on Oct. 7.