Get ready to head back to the Quantum Realm because the first trailer for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is here. The third Ant-Man movie will kick off Phase Five of the MCU, hitting theaters on February 17th, 2023. Phase Four has received a mixed and polarizing response from viewers, with some critiquing it for lackluster projects in comparison to the high expectations Avengers: Endgame established, while others celebrate it for its deviation from the traditional formula.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has a bit of an uphill battle ahead of it as it will need to quickly set the pace and establish a tone for Phase Five. Luckily, it’s got a guaranteed ace – Kang the Conqueror, played by Jonathan Majors. That alone has fans extremely excited to return to the Quantum Realm. While some got to see a glimpse of the film at Comic-Con and/or D23, now everyone can understand what to expect, which has Twitter ablaze with reactions. Whether for the reveal of Kang or the hidden details in the background, here are the fans’ reactions to the new trailer.
It Looks Good
Overall, many are remarking on how clean and stunning the visuals are. There’s been a concern that because of the over-saturation of massive IP franchises and the use of visual effects is putting strain on nearly every new project. There’s a notion that Marvel, especially, is pushing forward relentlessly since their return in 2021 with Black Widow, not giving the audiences and their own artists time to breathe.
All that being said, the trailer does feature some stark and clean shots. The quantum realm is colorful and crisp, an enhancement on what was shown in Ant-Man and the Wasp. Much of this is due to the increased use of the volume – a stage in which the background is shown in real-time during filming – as opposed to the classic green or blue-screen production. This has become more of the norm with the likes of House of the Dragon and The Batman too.
Kang The Conqueror
Naturally, much of the talk online is about Kang the Conqueror. While Ant-Man and Wasp are beloved characters in the MCU, Kang is the selling point for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Fans have been waiting to see him in all his glory ever since Jonathan Majors appeared in the season one finale of Loki.
This Kang is nothing like He Who Remains from Loki. He is far more stoic and severe, a warrior king ruling over his dominion amassing an army in his city, Chronopolis. Importantly, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is directly linked to Avengers: The Kang Dynasty in Phase Six, so in truth, this will be the appetizer to what Kang might do in the MCU.
Will Scott Survive?
A big question going through fans’ minds is whether Scott Lang will survive the film. Already it’s being set up as another heist-style film like the previous Ant-Man film – this time he’s doing it for Kang, based on what was shown before. However, there’s an added note of a darker tone and especially the important relationship between Scott and his daughter, Cassie.
If they’d want to make a big impact, killing off a major character like Ant-Man and/or Wasp would accomplish that. It would fully establish how dangerous Kang is and how he is a Thanos-level character, setting the stage for the horrors that might unfold in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. More likely, though, is that it will be the original Ant-Man and Wasp – Hank and Janet – who won’t make it out of this alive, but Scott could still die by the end of the Multiverse Saga.
Wasp!
Some fans noted that Evangeline Lilly’s Hope Van Dyne got a costume upgrade in the trailer. With a short haircut, she is nearly a carbon copy of Janet Van Dyne from the comics. It’s a notable change because her first costume from Ant-Man and the Wasp, while cool, was strangely removed aesthetically from the comics. It’s nice to see a return to basics.
Interestingly, the trailer shows that the family is being split in two – Scott and Cassie in one group and Hope, Hank, and Janet in another. Importantly, this will be Hope’s first time in the Quantum Realm, the place her mother was trapped for decades, so it’ll be an interesting thing to watch how that affects her and her relationship with her parents.
The Young Avengers Agenda
The trailer shows that the other star of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is Scott’s daughter, Cassie Lang. She is now being played by Kathryn Newton, a fantastic choice for a new hero – although the question as to why the character was recast still remains unanswered. Many noted that she will be the latest member of the Young Avengers to feature, joining the likes of Kate Bishop, Kid Loki, and probably Kamala Khan. There are more teen heroes who could join the MCU soon to add to that roster.
Many also noted that Cassie’s suit is purple, signaling that she will be using her Stinger persona going forward. In the comics, she’s had several suits and monikers including most predominately Stature and Ant-Girl.
Scarlet Witch Reference?
Trust marvel fans to find ways to connect every new project back to their favorite missing characters. For a time it was Mephisto and the mutants, but following Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it’s Wanda Maximoff aka Scarlet Witch. Although she was killed off, that doesn’t mean she’s gone for good, and some made a connection between her magic and what’s shown in the trailer for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
There is a sequence of multiple Ant-Mans – possibly variants – in which the largest is shredded apart just like Wanda did to Mr. Fantastic in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. On top of that, there’s a shot of a location bathed in red light. The color-coding throughout the MCU is clear, so this is interesting – red is connected to reality-warping and chaos magic from the Reality Stone to the Bloodstone from Werewolf by Night.
Connections?
Some fans even noted connections to other recent MCU projects, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Ms. Marvel. There’s a lot of imagery of rings and circles throughout the trailer, and while that might just relate to the cycle of time and Kang’s relationship to time, it is so abundant that it seems more than just stylistic.
In particular, some of the rings throughout Chronopolis instantly harken back to Kamala’s mysterious bangles and the legendary Ten Rings. Both have connections as beacons across time and space, with the bangles swapping Kamala and Carol Danvers and the ten rings sending a signal out to someone somewhere. Perhaps Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will address this.
Poor Scott
The trailer showcased how life has changed for Scott following taking down Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, and how that has changed Scott. He’s still the lovable goof who cares about his family as emulated by these quotes, but he’s also become a bit of a celebrity. Earlier footage revealed he wrote a book, detailing the fight against Thanos, and Ms. Marvel showed he has a podcast too.
Nevertheless, this man still mistakes him for Spider-Man, a funny joke that harkens back to Avengers: Infinity War was Hulk finds out there is both an Ant-Man and a Spider-Man – also as this tweeter noted, the fact that Paul Rudd doesn’t age.
That Needle Drop
The MCU is known for its needle drops, and this one does not disappoint. On top of being a fantastic song by Elton John, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” holds important meaning. The story of Kang in the franchise thus far is eerily similar to The Wizard of Oz. He Who Remains is the man behind the curtain and Chronopolis is the Emerald City.
Ant-Man and his family just want to return home after getting sucked into a strange world against their will. The big question from this is who the Wicked Witch is – perhaps MODOK who’s been confirmed to appear. This analog is very interesting to consider since Werewolf by Night recently ended with a montage of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow.”
Spy Kids 3-D: Quantumania
Hilariously, many have noted an aesthetic and thematic similarity between Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over from 2003. It’s funny to think about how similar they do look, from the character designs and costumes even to the general background and overarching story.
Maybe Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and this comparison will spark Robert Rodriguez’s interest in directing a future movie, tv show, and/or special in the MCU. Plus, it does add an unexpected feel of nostalgia to an unrelated film, coming out two decades later.
