Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will not only do a deep dive into the Quantum Realm, but it is also expected to fully showcase the arrival of the MCU’s next big villain, Jonathan Major’s Kang the Conqueror. Majors has already made his debut as He Who Remains in Loki, but this alternate Variant is less ruthless than the one who will appear in the Ant-Man threequel. The ending of Loki Season 1 proved that Kang is just getting started with his evil time travel antics, and unfortunately, team Ant-Man will be one of the first heroes who will experience his wrath.
Still, it remains to be seen how Kang fits into the Quantumania puzzle. Loki Season 1 director Kate Herron already teased that Kang has an "amazing" Marvel future, saying that the character's "significance" in the MCU is something Majors is aware of and actually embraces.
Now, ahead of the mega-sized panel of Marvel Studios at San Diego Comic-Con, the first official look at the MCU's next big threat has emerged online.
Marvel Highlights the MCU's Kang the Conqueror
Marvel Studios Director of Visual Development Andy Park shared the first look at Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, showcasing the updated costumes of Paul Rudd's Ant-Man, Evangeline Lilly's Wasp, and the fresh new suit of Kathryn Newton's Cassie Lang. Alongside them is the looming image of Jonathan Majors as Kang the Conqueror.
Here is the official poster:
Upon closer inspection, the MCU's Kang will have a comic-accurate look:
Kang's Villainous Journey Begins
Kang the Conqueror's looming presence in the poster could indicate that the character could serve as a villain in the background in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. From this Kang not being the main Variant of himself to the villain directing orders to other unnamed villains, the possibilities are endless for his role in the upcoming threequel.
Kang's real endgame is still unknown, but the early phases of his plan could be revealed in Ant-Man 3. The threequel's conflict that revolves around the villain could eventually carry over into the next crossover movie, considering that he is an Avengers-level threat.
Still, this doesn't explain why Kang would serve as the enemy of Team Ant-Man in the movie. He may be using the Quantum Realm as his base, and a disturbance would prompt Paul Rudd's Scott Lang and the rest of the team to investigate.
Given that Michelle Pfeiffer's Janet Van Dyne was trapped in the Quantum Realm for a long time, it's also possible that she already had an encounter with Kang, thus leading to an intense reunion. Moreover, Janet could also serve as the key to defeating Kang if the two of them had prior history with each other since she could be aware of his weaknesses.
Whatever the case, Kang's inevitable debut spells trouble for team Ant-Man and the rest of the MCU, and this could mean that an eventual Avengers team-up could happen sooner rather than later.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is set to premiere in theaters on February 17, 2023.
