Ant-Man 3: Evangeline Lilly Hints at Return of Yellowjacket Villain Actor

By Aeron Mer Eclarinal Updated:
Yellowjacket, Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, Evangeline Lilly as Wasp

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is set to take a deep dive into the mysterious Quantum Realm, which means that more threats will potentially crossover into the real world. 

Directed by Peyton Reed, the MCU threequel will showcase the return of Paul Rudd's Scott Lang and Evangeline Lilly's Hope van Dyne. Given that the pair's reunion was only briefly featured during Avengers: Endgame, the film is expected to explore the ramifications of Hope's disappearance alongside Michael Douglas' Hank Pym and Michelle Pfeiffer's Janet van Dyne.  

Plot details are still being kept under wraps, but the interesting story beats that Quantumania will need to address is the Avengers' use of the Quantum Realm for Endgame's Time Heist as well as the involvement of Pym Particles.

The curiosity of Pym about the success of Tony Stark and Scott Lang's grand plan could lead to him exploring the Quantum Realm with Team Ant-Man, thus setting up a confrontation with the film's confirmed villain Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror. 

The cast and crew are gearing up for production soon, meaning that more concrete details will arrive to shed some light on the subject any day now. Now, a new tease from one of the lead stars may hint at a surprise casting addition to Quantumania

A YELLOWJACKET RETURN?

Corey Stoll Ant-Man Darren Cross
Marvel

A recent Instagram post by Evangeline Lilly shared that the Wasp actress has now read the script for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

Got my script. Read it. LOVE it. Can’t wait. 

Evangeline Lilly's Instagram post
@evangelinelillyofficial on Instagram

As pointed out by Hector Navarro of Nerdist, Lilly's caption of the post included a hashtag for actor Corey Stoll, who played the villainous Darren Cross aka Yellowjacket in 2015's Ant-Man, along with other confirmed cast members.

Evangeline Lilly's Instagram post
@evangelinelillyofficial on Instagram

Lilly has since deleted the aforementioned hashtag that includes Stoll's name. 

Evangeline Lilly's Instagram post
@evangelinelillyofficial on Instagram

This evidence is far from confirmation that Corey Stoll will be returning in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, though it is sure to excite fans who have long been hoping for a return of Stoll's Yellowjacket in the MCU.

HOW YELLOWJACKET'S RETURN CAN IMPACT ANT-MAN 3

Evangeline Lilly's latest slip-up could present major ramifications for the plot of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The last time fans saw Corey Stoll's Yellowjacket was during 2015's Ant-Man where the villain went subatomic, and this could pave the way for his return in the threequel. 

The upcoming comeback of Yellowjacket would make sense, considering the narrative direction of Quantumania. There's a good chance that the villain is stuck somewhere in the Quantum Realm.

This means that the exploration of Scott Lang and his allies within the mysterious realm could end up as a rematch of sorts between the former foes. 2019's Ant-Man and the Wasp proved that the Quantum Realm can change people, so it's possible that Darren Cross will be infused with new powers, thus spelling trouble for the heroes. 

Not much is known if Yellowjacket has a connection with Kang the Conqueror's involvement. If there is, it seems likely that the Ant-Man villain could serve as an ally to the time-traveling villain, potentially giving out his knowledge of the size-shifting heroes. 

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is set to premiere in theaters on February 17, 2023. 

Release Date
February 17, 2023
Platform
Theaters
- About The Author: Aeron Mer Eclarinal
Aeron is a news/features writer and Content Lead for The Direct who has been working for the site since March 2020. From writing about the inter-connectivity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to having an extended knowledge about DC TV's Arrowverse, Aeron's expertise has since expanded into the realm of reality TV, K-drama, animated, and live-action shows from Netflix,  Disney+, Prime Video, MGM+, Peacock, Paramount+, and Max. When he isn't writing and watching all things MCU, Aeron is heavily invested with the NBA (go Celtics!) and occasionally watches thrilling matches in the WWE.