Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is poised to be a pivotal entry in the MCU. Not just because it begins Phase 5, but more importantly, it will feature one of the most important cast members of the Multiverse Saga, Kang the Conqueror.
Marvel Studios released a Quantumania trailer exclusively to D23 Expo attendees ahead of its February 17, 2023 release. Now, a similar trailer has been released to the public, showcasing the first footage of the Ant-Man threequel's cast in action.
Ant-Man 3: Quantumania's 13 Confirmed Cast Members
In the newly released trailer for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, audiences get an idea of Scott Lang's post-Endgame life, as well as what the now-teenage Cassie Lang was up to during the Blip.
Apparently, Cassie developed an interest in the Quantum Realm during those five years; and now, she's developed a machine that acts as a sort of two-way radio with the Quantum Realm. In fact, she's learned how to send a signal to the realm.
Janet's warning to Cassie turns out to be too little, too late as the Lang and van Dyne family end up in the Quantum Realm before coming face-to-face with the MCU's next big bad, Kang the Conqueror.
Marvel Studios' latest trailer packs in a ton of familiar faces (and a new one or two), so here is every member of the Ant-Man 3 cast.
1.) Paul Rudd - Scott Lang
The first half of the trailer shows Paul Rudd's Scott Lang (humorously referred to as Spider-Man) leading a drastically different life compared to when fans first met him in 2015's Ant-Man.
His relationship with Hope appears to be stable, but he seems to be enjoying his celebrity lifestyle a little too much. Scott's familial troubles with Cassie aren't touched upon in this footage, though this will undoubtedly act as the emotional core underlying the Ant family's quantum adventure.
Similarly to the end of the D23 footage, Scott is faced with an ultimatum from Kang: help the villain out or risk not making it home.
2.) Evangeline Lilly - Hope van Dyne
Evangeline Lilly's Hope van Dyne is present at multiple points in the trailer, mostly with her mom and dad in tow. Now that her parents are back in action, it seems that viewers will get to see Wasp as part of her own family dynamic.
Hope also comes to the threequel with an all-new outfit, finally giving her the vibrant yellow suit that many comic fans have been waiting for.
3.) Kathryn Newton - Cassie Lang
Scott's daughter Cassie, who's now played by Kathryn Newton as opposed to previous Avengers: Endgame actress Emma Fuhrmann, looks to be the catalyst for the events of Quantumania.
She appears to be part of all the action, possibly setting up her own superhero character as Stature or Stinger.
4.) Michelle Pfeiffer - Janet van Dyne
After having been trapped in the Quantum Realm for years, the Quantumania trailer confirms that Michelle Pfeiffer's Janet van Dyne hasn't ever wanted to talk about it; and when she learns that Cassie is sending a signal there, she panics.
Janet seems to have hidden some key information about her time in the Quantum Realm from the others, so it remains to be seen whether her lack of forthcoming will break the Ant family or bind it.
5.) Michael Douglas - Hank Pym
It looks like Cassie had some help when researching the Quantum Realm. The D23 footage previously revealed that she studied "Grandpa Hank's old journals" during those five years when he, her dad, Hope, and Janet were gone.
Now, it seems that Hank, played by Michael Douglas, has been helping Cassie, saying, "I can't help if people are inspired by me."
No doubt his family's return to the Quantum Realm will be a learning experience for Hank, especially when he learns more about his wife's life while she was trapped there.
6.) Randall Park - Jimmy Woo
Following his role in WandaVision on Disney+, fan-favorite Jimmy Woo, played by Randall Park, returns to the Ant-Man franchise.
While the recent trailer didn't feature the fan-favorite agent, D23 footage did show a bit of what Agent Woo has been up to. Here's hoping that Jimmy gets the chance to show Scott his newfound magic skills.
7.) Bill Murray - Unknown Marvel Character
Bill Murray's casting in Quantumania has been known for a while, but fans still don't know who he's playing.
The latest trailer confirmed, however, that he is one of many denizens of the Quantum Realm. The footage from D23 also confirmed that Murray's character knows Janet van Dyne and even thought she was dead.
Rumors also suggest that Murray is playing the obscure Marvel Comics character Krylar, who is associated with the Hulk.
8.) Corey Stoll (Rumored) - M.O.D.O.K.
No, this is not the MODOK from Hulu.
MODOK makes a brief appearance in the montage of quick shots in the D23 footage but is notably absent from the most recent trailer. The MCU version features a completely different design, with the villain's face seemingly covered with a metallic one.
Corey Stoll is rumored to be portraying the character after previously playing Darren Cross, which would make for an interesting take on the MCU's version of the character.
9.) Jonathan Majors - Kang the Conqueror
While Marvel fans saw Jonathan Majors play He Who Remains in Loki, Kang the Conqueror is a different character and Majors plays him as such.
Interestingly enough, the first official trailer for the Ant-Man threequel features a much more condensed version of a scene featured at the end of the D23 footage, where the time-traveling tyrant appears to be holding Cassie as a hostage and is facing off against Lang.
When Scott warns Kang that he's an Avenger, an eerily calm and controlled Majors asks:
"An Avenger? Have I killed you before? They all blend together after awhile."
Kang goes on to explain that he's a man who's "lost a lot of time," just like Scott.
However, he believes the two can help one another, saying, "Someone stole something from me, and you're the only who can steal it back."
When Scott resists Kang's offer, the audience gets a preview of Kang's dangerous power set as Ant-Man is thrown up and into a wall with just the brush of the tyrant's hand.
10.) Gregg Turkington - Dale, the Baskin Robbins Manager
Following his role in 2015's Ant-Man, Gregg Turkington's Dale is back in Ant-Man 3.
But instead of firing Scott for having been in jail, the Baskin Robbins manager is now shown awarding the Endgame hero the honor of "Employee of the Century."
11.) David Dastmalchian - Kurt
Despite having previously stated that he would not be part of the Quantumania cast, David Dastmalchian was recently confirmed - via a promotional standee - to be returning to the MCU as Kurt.
Kurt Goreshter ran the hacking end of Scott, Dave, and Luis' past heists, as well as being a founder of X-Con Security Consultants.
With Marvel Studios having already dropped Dave actor T.I. from the Ant-Man franchise due to various allegations and Michael Pena's return as Luis still up in the air, Kurt may be the only member of the heisting group involved this time around.
12.) William Jackson Harper
After being a fan-favorite to play Reed Richards, The Good Place star William Jackson Harper will make his MCU debut in Ant-Man 3.
Although unfortunately, he won't be playing the Fantastic Four leader that some fans wanted him to; he will instead portray “the leader of the rebels group inside the QR that fight against Kang.”
13.) Katy O'Brian
Also coming from the newly-revealed theater standee, Katy O'Brian - who played Kimball on several episodes of Agents of SHIELD's final season - has been cast in an unknown role in Quantumania.
The chances are slim to none that O'Brian will be reprising her Marvel TV character in the Ant-Man threequel, with this likely being a different character and a non-major role.
Is Ant-Man 3 Hiding Any Secret Characters?
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania currently appears placed to be the biggest entry in Phase 5 as it sets the stage for Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. As such, Marvel Studios may well be holding onto its fair share of surprises on this one.
Michael Pena - Luis
Although Dastmalchian's Kurt is currently the only member of X-Con Security confirmed for Ant-Man 3, Michael Pena's Luis will almost certainly be joining him. The heister's rapid recounting of stories was one of the most iconic elements of the first two movies, so much so that he has now become a fan favorite.
Nonetheless, it's strange that the studio has opted to omit Pena from the standee since a surprise appearance wouldn't exactly make for a jaw-dropping moment. So far, the actor himself has played coy on the topic; perhaps he will be saved for a post-credits surprise to break all the Kang-infused tension.
Samuel L. Jackson - Nick Fury
Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury has also had his name thrown around for a cameo, especially after Quantumania filmed simultaneously on the same lot as Secret Invasion and The Marvels - both of which he will appear in. The actor also teased how he did a lot of "running around from place to place," so who knows.
What's Next for Ant-Man 3?
While the Quantumania trailer begins by showing more of what fans have come to expect from the franchise, that all changes once the Ant-Man 3 cast ends up in the Quantum Realm.
The tone grows progressively darker; and by the time Scott meets Kang, it's clear that this threequel provides the stakes prior Ant-Man films have never had.
Kang's design is also incredibly exciting, looking incredibly comic-accurate with his green and purple get-up and even the iconic blue face mask in one shot.
If there's one complaint to be had with the footage, it's Cassie's creation of the device that can contact the Quantum Realm.
Up to this point, young Cassie never showed much interest in science. While it's true that she's a teenager now, her being the reason why they all end up in the Quantum Realm seems convenient.
Hopefully, that part of the plot will be better executed in the film; but if not, Ant-Man 3 still has a ton to offer and looks to be integral to the MCU moving forward.
With its release date firmly locked in, it seems that Quantumania has been spared receiving a delay as some other MCU projects have. This is reassuring for fans of the Ant-Man franchise, though it will be interesting to see whether Marvel Studios decides to shift its 2023 slate around to fill in the gap where Blade once was.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania debuts in theaters on February 17, 2023.
