After the intensity Marvel fans experienced watching Avengers: Infinity War, the MCU needed to slide in a pallet cleanser. Some might remember, the dates of Captain Marvel and Black Panther were moved, most likely for this very reason. And once again, Marvel provides the perfect kind of movie at exactly the right time. Overall, the movie was light and fun, keeping things super simple (the Kevin Feige way) while producing more than enough MCU Easter Eggs to keep fans busy speculating until the release of Captain Marvel.
Ant-Man and the Wasp occurs two years after Civil War, bringing back Paul Rudd as Scott Lang (Ant-Man), Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne (Wasp), and Michael Douglas as Dr. Hank Pym. Lang’s crew of dysfunctional criminals also returns with Michael Peña as Luis, T.I. as Dave, and David Dastmalchian as Kurt. New additions to the cast include Laurence Fishburne as Dr. Bill Foster, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost (Ava), and Walton Goggins as Sonny Burch.
The events of Ant-Man and the Wasp take place over the course of three days, as the team is brought together to rescue Hope Van Dyne’s mother (Janet Van Dyne), played by Michelle Pfeiffer. In a typical MCU kind of way, multiple events take place at the same time, threatening the task at hand.
Warning!!! Major Spoilers For Ant-Man And The Wasp Ahead!
For those who are chomping at the bit to know, the movie does explain why Scott Lang was absent from Infinity War, while also throwing in a shocker (one which elicited gasps from the entire moviegoer audience) during the mid-credit scene. Hidden within these details are tiny things the casual fan might miss, along with a bunch of MCU Easter Eggs.
30 Ant-Man And The Wasp Takes Place During Events Of Infinity War
Ant-Man was shown on the poster for Avengers: Infinity War but he never officially made an appearance. This led to tons of speculating and theories on the inter-web, mostly centered around the Quantum Realm.
It’s official now. Scott and team were way too preoccupied to know what was going down in Infinity War, as the timeline for Ant-Man and the Wasp directly correlates with Avengers: Infinity War. Not only was his absence fleshed out, but it seems like he’ll play a major role in the upcoming Avengers 4.
29 Warning About Time Vortex Traps
A simple warning about time vortex traps in the Quantum Realm might seem like casual dialog in any other film, but in the MCU it’s sure to make fans cringe after the ending of Avengers: Infinity War. Many were wondering if the results of Thanos’ snap would be played out, and the post-credit scene delivered in full capacity.
For a moment, audiences are led to believe Scott is the one who gets dusted when he doesn’t respond.
Hope Van Dyne, Dr. Hank Pym, and Janet Van Dyne are the ones to get dusted, instead, leaving Ant-Man stranded in the Quantum Realm. Let’s hope he brought along some of those blue disks.
28 Mysterious Purple Eye In Post Credit Quantum Realm
Peyton Reed and Kevin Feige have both hinted during the Ant-Man and the Wasp press junket tour about Easter Eggs hidden in Quantum Realm. Some fans have taken to the inter-web declaring they saw Thanos briefly due to a pair of mysterious purple eyes.
Others have seen the same image but have said it to be Dormammu from Dr. Strange. It’s unlikely we’ll get a straight answer until the digital release when many will go frame by frame through all the Quantum Realm sequences. Until then, fans will simply have to speculate and theorize, wondering if there is another connection to Avengers 4 buried between the trippy color patterns.
27 New Power Introduced
Being stuck in the Quantum Realm for around 3 decades changed Janet Van Dyne through what she states, is a form of evolution. Because of these changes, Janet can heal through touch, using materials found in the Quantum Realm.
This opens the door for other powers to emerge as her character is set to return in Avengers 4, thanks to leaked information from Evangeline Lilly. Another possibility revolves around Scott Lang developing additional powers while being stuck in the Quantum Realm. Only time will tell, but one thing’s for certain, expect to see more than E.T. healing fingers in Avengers 4.
26 Cassie Lang Didn’t Get Dusted
It’s not shown in Ant-Man and the Wasp whether Cassie survived Thanos’ snap, but it’s certainly implied. Screen Rant reported back in April that Emma Fuhrmann had joined the cast of Avengers 4 as an older version of Cassie Lang. Due to Scott being stuck in the Quantum Realm, it now makes sense why an older version of Cassie was cast for Avengers 4.
Many of Cassie’s lines in Ant-Man and the Wasp were also setting her up to possibly be a superhero in the future since she wanted to be her father’s partner. Cassie also says she wants to grow up and help people like Ant-man and Wasp do.
25 Secrets Of Bill Foster
To some casual MCU fans, the addition of Laurence Fishburne as Dr. Bill Foster could be written off as a side character who helped drive the plot of the film along. His history, however, goes much deeper than what was seen in Ant-Man and the Wasp.
As mentioned in the movie, Foster was a part of project G.O.L.I.A.T.H. (referred to also in Iron Man 2) with Hank Pym.
In the comics, this was also the case, but he primarily worked with Pym’s rival, Tony Stark. Not only does he have ties to Stark but was married to the beautiful Claire Temple while she was just a medical student. Considering both characters are already established in the MCU, it’s likely fans will see Dr. Bill Foster again.
24 Ghosts’ Backstory Creates Plot Holes
According to the backstory given to Ghost in Ant-Man and the Wasp, she was trained and utilized as a secretive operative for S.H.E.I.L.D. after the passing of her parents. The problem with this scenario is that no one has heard of her despite there being five seasons of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and 19 previous MCU movies.
There’s little doubt the MCU will figure out a way to patch up their newly created plot hole, but at the same time, it’s a shame we didn’t get to see her in action while employed by S.H.I.E.L.D.
23 Foreshadowing Of Stinger And Young Avengers
Throughout several parts of Ant-Man and the Wasp, Cassie Lang mentions she wants to be just like her dad. She stated she wanted to be his partner, and when asked by Hope what she wants to be when she grows up — Cassie says she wants to help people just like her dad.
In the comics, Cassie becomes the superhero Stinger and is a part of the Young Avengers team. With so many “on the nose” moments regarding Cassie’s future in Ant-Man and the Wasp, it seems likely Stinger has been officially greenlit for a future MCU movie.
22 Introducing Geoffrey Ballard To MCU
The mole in the FBI goes by the name Agent Stoltz (Sean Kleier) in Ant-Man and the Wasp but his comic book origins are directly related to Geoffrey Ballard. Introduced in the Marvel Comic Black Goliath #4 (1976), Ballard goes by the code name Centurion.
Much like his role in the movie, Centurion is a villain who used to work for the FBI and was often pitted against Ms. Marvel. This could mean Stoltz might show up in either a spin-off or future MCU film as a villain.
21 Possible Foreshadowing Of Future Female Villain
While Scott, Hope, and Cassie are watching their drive-in flick at the end of Ant-Man and the Wasp, a moth attacks the car they are in due to Scott turning on the windshield wipers.
For most, this seems normal, but in the MCU it could be an introduction to a Marvel Comic villain named Skein.
Originally known as Sybil Dvorak, she became the villain Skein after joining groups like Night Shift and The Masters of Evil. She has also gone up against Spider-Woman and the Avengers.
20 Laurence Fishburne Is Playing With Different Universes
We might as well call Laurence Fishburne the ringer of superhero movies since he’s now starred in three different franchises since 2007. Most will recognize him from the DCEU, having been cast in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Man of Steel.
On the Marvel side, he was the voice of Silver Surfer in Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and now has Ant-Man and the Wasp on his resume as he works his way into the MCU. Other hero-like films he’s been in include the Matrix franchise, TMNT, and Mission: Impossible III.
19 Tricked Out Hyundai Veloster
Luis finally gets to play with superhero toys in Ant-Man and the Wasp, choosing a tricked-out Hyundai Veloster as his mode of transportation. Why Hank Pym had a pinkish Veloster with flames, is a question for another day. Yet, stashed in Pym’s Hot Wheel case is the Hyundai and Luis reacts like a kid in a candy store.
Not only does he handle the car like a pro, but Luis even gets to play with the shrinking mechanism built into the Veloster. In an interview with Film, Michael Peña even states the Veloster was the perfect car for Luis to drive.
18 The Dude Callback
Paul Rudd is commonly seen as a “chill” actor whose appearance in films delights audiences no matter what type of character he’s playing. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the bathrobe-wearing Scott Lang was a nod towards “The Dude” Lebowski.
Everyone loves “The Dude,” just like they love Paul Rudd — which is why Peyton Reid had Scott walk into Pym’s laboratory for the first time in two years wearing just a bathrobe, t-shirt, and sweats. Total “The Dude” style.
17 The Lore Of Baba Yaga
Kurt (David Dastmalchian) compares Ghost to the fabled bogeywoman of folklore, Baba Yaga. But who is Baba Yaga, really? Marvel Comic fans will know she’s the Goddess of Misfortune.
For centuries, she would feed on travelers who would wander through her forest. Using witchcraft and sorcery, Baba Yaga would thrive on innocents to sustain her existence. Until that is, she picked a battle with Captain Britain and his girlfriend, Meggan. The battle seemed to be going in her favor until Meggan called upon an ancient deity who was Baba Yaga’s nemesis, resulting in her demise.
16 Scott Lang Has Good Taste In Movies
After spending a productive weekend with his daughter Cassie, the daily routine of Scott Lang is presented in an 80s synopsis way. In sticking with this retro theme, the movie Scott is watching when Hope Van Dyne comes to recruit him against his will is none other than Animal House (1978).
In a sitcom way, Scott ignores the buzzing around him (as if he forgot he’s not the only one who can reduce in size) while Pinto (Tom Hulce) and Dave Jennings (Donald Sutherland) in Animal House talk about the nature of Atoms. Jennings line in National Lampoon’s Animal House is ironically, “one little tiny universe.”
15 Two Decade Old Commercial Reference
For most, it doesn’t seem like it’s been two decades since Budweiser made their most famous commercials with the catchphrase of “Wassap.” The first commercial aired in 1999 (ouch, I feel older than usual now). The ad campaign would continue for three years, as the phrase would become a pop-culture phenomenon.
Luis (Michael Peña) is the comedic relief in Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp, making it almost natural that he would be the one to spit out “Wassap” before a tense fight scene. Whether you cringed or laughed, is on you.
14 MCU Combines Old And New Into Making Of Ghost
The MCU is notorious for taking minor comic book characters and completely re-working them over into a new version. Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) is an example of this, as the character first appeared in Marvel Comics Iron Man #219 (1987). She was a he in the comics, and he was a villain who had a huge beef with Tony Stark.
Ava’s father, Dr. Elihas Starr, also appeared in the comics as a mad scientist.
He did have a beef with Hank Pym in the comics, making Ava’s arc in Ant-Man and the Wasp a hybrid of old and new mashed together.
13 Double Meaning Behind James Woo
James Woo (Randall Park) came off looking like an incompetent FBI agent in Ant-Man and the Wasp, but his existence in the MCU could lead to a future spin-off. Harkening back to Yellow Claw #1 (1956), James (Jimmy) Woo transitioned from FBI agent to S.H.E.I.L.D. agent to stop Godzilla.
Having James Woo appear in Ant-Man and the Wasp could be the MCU’s way of setting up a spin-off with Woo leading his comic book team Agents of Atlas. His name has also been mentioned by Melinda May in the series Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D. as a contact of hers.
12 Truth Serum Trope
Ant-Man and the Wasp are full of classic tropes from the old sitcom days. The truth serum bit delivered by Uzman (Divian Ladwa) nails this trope on the nose with some added comedic relief.
Uzman says his “special concoction” will reduced inhibitions and have hallucinogenic effects on the subject.
Luis then states, “that’s truth serum,” as it’s the direct definition of the trope truth serum. Uzman denies it’s a truth serum, claiming it is his own special concoction unlike any other. Uzman gets a taste of his serum at the end of Ant-Man and the Wasp, confirming it was a truth serum all along.
11 Ant-Man Gets A Second Name
It’s common in comics for superheroes to have multiple personalities or even different people to take on the name, but Ant-Man and the Wasp breaks that trend by giving Scott Lang a second name. During the scene when Scott is having troubles with his new suit, he grows bigger than he ever has before (around 75-80 feet). The newscaster reporting it calls him Giant-Man.
Yet, this wasn’t the first time Giant-Man was mentioned in an MCU movie. Lang references it in Civil War, calling himself Giant-Man. In the comics, Dr. Bill Foster also went by the code name Giant-Man.
