The MCU's Multiverse Saga presents a lot of storytelling opportunities, but the writer of Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania acknowledges that are downsides too.
Following the release of Ant-Man 3, Jeff Loveness has been open about his decisions for the threequel, as well as what his future MCU project, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, may hold.
But the one constant between Quantumania and The Kang Dynasty is the focus of the Multiverse and Kang's role within it. However, endless possibilities also present certain challenges.
How a Marvel Writer Overcomes the Multiverse
In talking with The Hollywood Reporter, Ant-Man 3 writer Jeff Loveness opened up about the cons of the MCU's Multiversal storytelling.
When asked how he balances writing material for the masses with complex comic book concepts like the Multiverse, Loveness countered that the Multiverse is actually "too accessible" and the new challenge is how "to put your own unique spin on it:"
"In many ways, it’s too accessible to the audience now, and the challenge is to put your own unique spin on it because of great things like 'Rick and Morty,' 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' and 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.' So I feel that the audience is a bit smarter than we give them credit for, and the trick is to find the humanity in the middle of it."
The onslaught of Multiverse storytelling isn't expected to slow down anytime soon.
In addition to the continuation of Marvel's Multiverse Saga, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is headed for theaters this year, as is DC's The Flash.
When Loveness was asked how he establishes stakes when multiple versions of a character exist, his answer was focusing on what the Multiverse "means for the particular character," instead of the plot device itself.
"So I try not to focus on the multiverse; I try to focus on what it means for the particular character who’s facing it."
He went on to explain how Ant-Man and Kang's personal relationships with time is what "helped me put a very personal touch" on Quantumania:
"What probably helped me get the job was drawing the connection between Scott Lang and Kang the Conqueror. I’m a die-hard comics fan, but I don’t think they’ve ever had a conversation together in the comics. So, in the room, when I found out about 'Ant-Man 3' and that they were considering Kang as a villain, an idea just popped into my head of like, 'Oh yeah, Kang the Conqueror is a time god. He’s this time pharaoh who’s lost more time than Scott Lang in the MCU.' And so that helped me put a very personal touch on it."
Lastly, the Marvel writer shared his own commitment to "evolve a bit" with the MCU's Multiversal storytelling moving forward:
"You’ve seen Spider-Man with a mustache, you’ve seen Doctor Strange without a goatee, so it’s time to evolve a bit with our multiverse storytelling. And between me doing 'Avengers: The Kang Dynasty' and Michael Waldron doing 'Avengers: Secret Wars,' I think we’re both excited to take it up a notch because the audience already has a pretty good education in it."
Evolving the MCU Multiverse
Jeff Loveness presents an interesting point about how familiar audiences have truly become with the Multiverse.
While the concept seemed confusing and far-fetched back in 2021 during Loki, that's no longer the case today. And, by the time Avengers 5 arrives, audiences will surely have seen more.
Aiming to be original and inventive, while also centered on the characters, certainly sounds like the best route moving forward.
The problem some fans may have, however, is the writing team's execution.
While Loveness noted the personal time-related parallels between Kang and Ant-Man, the trailers did a better job of highlighting their shared motivation than the actual film.
The question now is how Jeff Loveness and other Marvel writers will use the time between now and The Kang Dynasty to truly "take it up a notch."
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania is playing in theaters.
