While “Ant-Man & The Wasp” was a solid, if modest hit for Marvel ($622.6 million worldwide), the idea of a third “Ant-Man” movie seemed as if it were up in the air. Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man character, alongside his daughter and Evangeline Lilly‘sThe Wasp, seemed to conclude their narrative at the end of “Avengers: Endgame” in a complete arc. It had led many to believe; we may not see the diminutive Marvel character until the next team-up film. Not so, as THR reports that a third “Ant-Man” movie is on the way and director Peyton Reed—who directed the first two installments of the franchise—would be back for the third.
Doubt surfaced around Reed’s return because many had posited that “Ant-Man” would take a rest and Reed would pivot to “The Fantastic Four,” a Fox property now owned by Disney that’s officially in the works and one that the filmmaker has expressed a lot of desire to tackle. Well, dreams of Reed helming “The Fantastic Four” will have to wait unless Marvel is willing to put that series on hold for years. While “Ant-Man 3” is expected to shoot in late 2020 or early 2021, it’s not likely to hit the release schedule until 2022.
Details are being kept under wraps, but when we last spoke to Reed, he said Easter Eggs were being hidden in the Quantum Realm in “Ant-Man & The Wasp,” and suggested those hidden secrets could come to fruition in other Marvel movies. Fans have long held to the speculation, hope or rumor that the Quantum Realm could be the narrative key to unlocking the Fantastic Four—potentially sequestered inside since the 1960s—so it’s still possibly an option that Reed gets his Fantastic Four wish with “Ant-Man 3,” perhaps using the film as some springboard or opening, but that’s really just a guess at this point.
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Cassie Lang, Rudd’s daughter in the movie, does eventually turn up as a hero in the Young Avengers series, and there’s been speculation Marvel may adapt that series and hero team at some point, and that’s also another potential “Ant-Man 3” plot guess.
Trades say the plot is being held under wraps for now. Marvel sequels like “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” and “Thor: Love and Thunder” will shoot before “Ant-Man 3,” and given the Marvel line-up for 2021 is full, that’s just more evidence that the third “Ant-Man” film definitely won’t arrive until 2022. Paul Rudd is expected to return as Scott Lang, the Ant-Man character, and it’ll be the fifth time out as the character unless he turns up in some surprise cameo or appearance in some Disney+ show or movie before then.