Ant-Man and the Wasp, sequel to 2015's Ant-Man, was both a very fun film as well as one that set up crucial plot points to the future of the MCU. Taking center stage was the concept of the Quantum Realm that was first hinted at in the first franchise film.
In the movie, Paul Rudd's Scott Lang/Ant-Man works with Evangeline Lily's Hope van Dyne to free her mother, Janet (played by Michelle Pfeiffer) from the subatomic dimension she'd been trapped in for years. In doing so, the seeds were planted that would eventually allow the Avengers to travel through time and undo Thanos' snap in Avengers: Endgame.
The release of the next Ant-Man film, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, is drawing closer, and fans are certainly eager to see the titular characters battle the time-traveling warlord Kang the Conqueror. Scott and Hope won't be alone against Kang though, as it seems the whole ensemble of Ant-Man's allies will stand at his side. Janet van Dyne actress Michelle Pfeiffer has shared some of the work she's been doing to prepare for the threequel.
JANET VAN DYNE, BACK IN ACTION
In a new clip posted to her Instagram, Michelle Pfeiffer confirmed that Janet will return to the Quantum Realm in Quantumania, saying, "Janet van Dyne entering the Quantum Realm this summer." The 63-year-old actress also promised "I'll be ready" while sharing a video of herself jogging on a treadmill.
The full post can be viewed below:
JANET VAN DYNE, CHRONOPOLIS, AND KANG THE CONQUEROR
As the film's title suggests, it seems that much of Quantumania will take place in the Quantum Realm. It is there that the villainous Kang the Conqueror has his seat of power in the city of Chronopolis. The subatomic city was briefly visible in Ant-Man and the Wasp, likely as a tease of what's to come.
What exactly Janet will be returning to the Realm for is unknown, though her role will likely be as a sort of guide. No one in the MCU has spent more time in that place than Janet van Dyne, and it's likely she encountered Chronopolis during her time there. She may even know about its ruler and the danger he poses.
Setting up Kang as a villain fits perfectly with the direction the MCU seems to be taking right now. As explained by Bruce Banner in Avengers: Endgame, meddling with time creates alternate realities. These alternate realities will naturally constitute a part of the Marvel multiverse, which films like Spider-Man:No Way Home and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will be placing heavy focus on. A time-hopping villain like Kang fits perfectly into the wider narrative of Phase 4 as we currently understand it.
Kang's history in the Marvel Comics universe is as multifaceted as the many timelines he crushes under his heel. Quantumania will almost certainly not be the last time Marvel fans see the Conqueror. While it's too early to say Kang is the next Thanos-level enemy, it's likely he will be a recurring villain for the foreseeable future.
Kang's designs for the MCU and Janet van Dyne's role in stopping them will only be revealed when Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania appears in theaters on February 17, 2023.
