You’ve got big dreams. You want Marvel. Well, Marvel costs. And right here is where you start paying: in sweat 2023 theater tickets and Disney+ subscription fees.
With a divisive Phase 4 of the MCU wrapped and shipped, it’s almost time to clap our eyes on the first of Marvel Studios’ Phase 5 entries: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Paul Rudd reprises his role as the little guy who could, Scott Lang, in a threequel that appears to be taking a tonal diversion. Where both 2015’s Ant-Man and 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp were fun, family-friendly capers that Marvel was happy to churn out despite their relatively low box office payoff, Ant-Man 3 has the Quantum Realm on its shoulders as it kicks off a serious and deadly new dynasty. It’s also handling the job of properly introducing Phase 5 and 6’s big bad: Kang the Conqueror (Johnathan Majors).
In the upcoming movie, the Ant-Fam is unexpectedly pulled into the Quantum Realm again, but this time Lang’s now grown-up daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton) is along for the ride. Cassie has superheroic ambitions, but she’s not ready to face one of Marvel Comics’ most iconic (and headache-inducing) supervillains down there in the tiny verse.
The journey will indeed feature Kang’s first appearance in the MCU, but we’ve already met one of his Variants in Loki. “He Who Remains” warned the God of Mischief and his Variant Sylvie that reigniting the multiverse was a bad idea, knowing full well that Variants of himself are trouble with a capital T, but Sylvie decided to kill him and awaken the multiverse again anyway. Thus, we find ourselves immersed in Marvel’s new Multiverse Saga, where Lang, Hope, Janet, Hank, and Cassie will be the first to feel Kang’s wrath, and Rudd says we can expect some big easter eggs and cameos in this one.
The trailers for the film haven’t really offered much hope that Lang and co. will make it out of this alive or unscathed. Turns out that Lang’s former antagonist Darren Cross aka Yellowjacket (Corey Stoll) is also roaming Kang’s patch in the Quantum Realm, but to say he’s changed since we last saw him in Ant-Man would be an understatement. He is now the MCU’s MODOK – Mechanized Organism Designed Only for Killing – a giant head with little arms and legs poking out of it. You love to see it! But we can safely assume Lang won’t.
Some lucky people have already seen Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania previews. With a pinch of salt (these initial reactions are usually pretty glowing regardless), let’s take a look at what they’re saying about the movie.
As promised #AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania is a big movie carrying a ton of franchise weight. Exciting threads created. Endless visual effects. Ragnarok-ish (not as good). But that family dynamic is dependably wonderful. Loved Pfeiffer and Newton.
And: KANG.
Full review soon.
— Victor Lucas (@Victor_Lucas) February 7, 2023
#AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania wasn’t the most entertaining MCU movie I’ve seen. Disappointed that this is how we’re entering Phase 5, but narratively it does mark the beginning of a multiversal narrative that can literally go anywhere. Btw 1 mid-credits scene + 1 post-credits. pic.twitter.com/xttA2NaGmd
— jordie poblete (@jordiepoblete) February 7, 2023
PHASE 5 HAS BEGUN! The new #AntMan movie is like a psychedelic rollercoaster full of frightening & hilarious oddities, plus one VERY menacing Kang. Big STAR WARS vibes meet the MCU at its freakiest & most inventive. MODOK is a riot, but Jonathan Majors conquers. Loved the ride! pic.twitter.com/gdJqHld3rT
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) February 7, 2023
Had a great time kicking off Phase 5 w/ #AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania
Engaging fast paced storytelling w/ humor, heart & tons of action…so much NEW that locked me back into the MCU.
Get excited & get tiny.
— Mark Ellis (@markellislive) February 7, 2023
Antman and the Wasp: Quantumania is a lot of fun with lots going on. I loved seeing Scott and Cassie’s relationship and the Quantum realm. Michelle Pfeiffer is such a bad ass. Pay close attention to everything Kang says. This is just the beginning. #AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania pic.twitter.com/uGqF5iI6gn
— Wendy Lee Szany (@WendyLeeSzany) February 7, 2023
Had a blast with #AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania Paul Rudd has never been better & Jonathan Majors effortlessly conquers every second of screen-time he gets, BUT the real star of the film is Jeff Loveness’ script: a reminder of how beautifully strange & mysterious the MCU still is. pic.twitter.com/MYoL6WPlmU
— Dempsey Pillot (@DempseyPillot) February 7, 2023
The best Star Wars movie since 2018 is #AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania. It’s a huge sci-fi adventure with gorgeous world building that feels almost little un-Marvel in how much world building there is. But it’s got humor, heart, Kang completely rules & Michelle Pfeiffer steals it. pic.twitter.com/vRO2Poko2s
— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) February 7, 2023
#AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania gives some heavy Star Wars vibes! Fantastic performance from Jonathan Majors who is incredible as the big bad villain. Make sure to stay for 2 post credit scenes!
— Jamie Broadnax (@JamieBroadnax) February 7, 2023
ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA … trying to imagine a Marvel novice, “one ticket please,” then getting two hours of variant and multiverse talk. Jonathan Majors is great as Kang and for a good portion of the movie Michelle Pfeiffer is the main character, which is awesome
— Mike Ryan (@mikeryan) February 7, 2023
#Quantumania is definitely Marvel’s weirdest movie yet…but that’s a good thing! It leans hard into the sci-fi side of the MCU, taking lots of wild swings.
Not everything lands, but it’s funny, inventive, and a good time. An enjoyable, bizarro ride into the quantum realm. pic.twitter.com/OvRotfAEQR
— Daniel Howat (@howatdk) February 7, 2023
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has been handled by returning Ant-Man 1 and 2 director Peyton Reed, from a script written by Jeff Loveness. It stars Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Jonathan Majors, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Douglas, Kathryn Newton, David Dastmalchian, William Jackson Harper, Katy O’Brian, and Bill Murray. It is set to be released on February 17.
The post First Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Reactions Pour In appeared first on Den of Geek.
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