Jonathan Majors finally got to play Kang the Conqueror in the recently released Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. While we did get a brief glimpse of one of his Variants during the first season of Loki, the first season even ended with a glimpse at the big bad himself as the new leader of the Time Variance Authority. So, we all assumed he’d likely have a role in the second season, but it was never officially confirmed.
With Quantumania‘s release and the much-discussed post-credit sequences, the Marvel rumor mill has once again picked up steam as Cosmic Circus has hinted that Kang will have a larger role in the upcoming second season. While he only made a brief appearance in last season’s finale, it seems we can expect him to appear in at least three episodes. If they are still sticking to their six-episode format for dramas, he’ll have a significant role in the series.
They believe the reasoning is that we’ll see a few Kang variants in the season, as it’ll focus on Loki and Mobius seeking out the different versions and how they influenced the timeline. The Sacred Timeline is no longer and with the multiverse continuing to stretch out into infinity, who knows what they might find. It’s definitely sounding like Marvel is making good use of the concept and giving Jonathan Majors many chances to give us a unique take on this character every time we see him.
The MCU’s fifth phase of projects just kicked off with Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania (you can read our review here) which introduces one of Marvel Comics’ most compelling villains in Jonathan Majors‘ Kang the Conqueror. The Conqueror is the second Variant of Kang to show up in the Multiverse Saga and we know he won’t be the last as the narrative progresses towards Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. With such a powerful and cunning villain set to antagonize the heroes of the MCU, they’ll need all the help they can get and a new rumor suggests that one of Marvel Comics’ powerhouses may be ready to join the MCU in Phase 6.
A recent report suggests that the casting process for the 2025 Fantastic Four film is kicking off in earnest and that Marvel Studios plans to start by finding their Susan Storm, adding fuel to the fire that star Mila Kunis could be in contention for the pivotal role. Hot on the tail of this potential casting coincidence comes another intriguing tidbit from YouTube. According to the YouTube personality, Marvel Studios is skipping the origin and angling to introduce a more experienced Fantastic Four who are a bit farther down the road in life and, in the case of Sue and Reed, have already become parents!
Though the rumor doesn’t specify, assuming Marvel Studios is following comic book canon in this regard, Sue and Reed’s first child is Franklin Richards, a character whose vast set of powers includes reality warping, matter manipulation and time travel. As an adult, Franklin was powerful enough to make Galactus his herald and lived free of the rules of the omniverse. As a child, however, as he would likely be portrayed in the film, Franklin’s powers would often manifest themselves subconsciously making him a wild card. The character played a large role in Jonathan Hickman’s companion Fantastic Four and Future Foundation series and with Hickman’s influence already being felt in the Multiverse Saga, it’s not surprising that his work may inspire Marvel Studios Fantastic Four and, potentially, Avengers: Secret Wars.
What about the Richards’ second child, Valeria? While it’s unknown just how far into their superhero careers the Fantastic Four are, the unique circumstances of Sue’s pregnancy with Valeria and Franklin’s role in saving his sister’s life–along with Dr. Doom–it would be a shame not to see it on screen. All things being equal, some exposition could fill in the blanks of Franklin’s birth and early life just fine, but Val’s story may require and deserve to unfold on screen.
Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania broadens the horizons of the Ant-Man franchise and continues to expand on the Multiverse, now featuring the time-travelling Kang the Conqueror. The movie received mixed reactions from reviewers after the review embargo ended on Tuesday, widely criticising the screenplay but praising Jonathan Majors‘ performance as Kang. It currently stands at a critics score of 51% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The movie left out some prominent fan-favorite secondary characters, such as Michael Peña’s Luis, Dave, and David Dastmalchian’s Kurt Goreshter. Although Dastmalchain managed to return to the movie’s cast as Veb, as well as composing a song for the movie’s soundtrack titled “Holes”, Luis was a no-show.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Quantumania director Peyton Reed was asked if earlier versions of the movie during the development process ever featured Michael Peña’s Luis.
Peyton responded to it by saying that “no versions of [the] movie” ever featured Luis. He went on to explain that fitting the Lang, Pym, and Van Dyne families, Kang, MODOK, Krylar, the freedom fighters, and including Luis and co. wouldn’t give them enough space to breathe and grow.
There were no versions of this movie [with Luis]. There are a lot of characters in the movie. We obviously have our Lang, van Dyne and Pym family, but then we also introduced Kang, MODOK and all of our Freedom Fighter characters. So we had to make decisions early on about what stories we could tell and what stories we couldn’t tell.
Peyton Reed
He admitted that Luis, Kurt, and Dave were “really, really, fun” in the previous Ant-Man installments, but because the movie sends the Ant-Fam to the Quantum Realm pretty early on, it “didn’t make sense” to include Luis and the gang in the movie.
I love those characters. They were really, really fun and part of the Lang family, but as we got further and further into [development] and knew we wanted to bring the family into the Quantum Realm pretty early in the movie, it just didn’t make sense [to include Luis and co.].
Peyton Reed
Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania releases exclusively in theaters on February 17, 2023. Read our review of the film here.
It’s been nearly four years since Kevin Feige announced that Marvel Studios was developing a Fantastic Four film. At the time, no details were shared about the project and, unfortunately, in the time that’s passed since the announcement, not much has changed on that front. The studio has provided information on the writers, director and release date but as the project continues to get pushed back, the lack of any solid information about it seems to be wearing on fans. It looks like that may change sooner rather than later, however.
In an interview with EW, Marvel Studios’ gato grande gave a brief, but promising update on the state of Fantastic Four. Feige revealed that along with the two saga-ending Avengers films, Fantastic Four is one of the projects he is most excited about. “The only other one in terms of me personally and my 23-year history is the Fantastic Four,” Feige said of which upcoming projects peaked his personal interest. “We sort of talked about mutants and that whole aspect to the Marvel world, but Fantastic Four is the foundation for everything that came after in the comics,” he explained.
Despite the wait, fans are certainly excited as well and, according to Feige, the wait may be ending soon. “People will start to hear more about that [Fantastic Four] soon,” pledged Feige. “We plan on that being a big pillar of the MCU going forward, just the way they’ve been in the comics for 50 or 60 years.” “Soon” is a very relative term. It could mean next week or it could mean July, but with a script complete and casting in the works, desperate fans will hope it’s the latter.
Marvel Studios D+ streaming series Moon Knight was well-received by critics and fans, leaving the latter hungry for more adventures with the character. Star Oscar Issac and director Mohamed Diab seem ready to spin more stories as well, but nearly a year after the conclusion of the first series, the future of the character has remained a mystery…until now.
In an interview with EW, Marvel Studios’ biggest decision maker, finally gave some insight into what’s next for Moon Knight. “I think there’s a future for that character as we move forward,” Feige said of Marc, Steven and apparently Jake. Whether that means a second season of the show or simply a continuation of his story told in theatrical projects is unclear, but with Marvel Studios looking to cut back a bit on the number of streaming projects and their pacing, Season 2 of Moon Knight might be YEARS away. In that case, the Fist of Khonshu might turn up as a powerful ally to the Avengers in a film or two before the end of the Multiverse Saga!
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a success in more ways than one. While it didn’t topple Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the film has managed to become the second biggest release for the productions studio in 2022. Now, it seems the film is making even more waves as after the longest theatrical runs since the pandemic started, Wakanda Forever has become Disney+’s biggest Marvel premiere to date.
The debut is measured by hours streamed in the first five days of its release. The film fittingly kicked off Black History Month on February 1st after breaking the 45-day plan that was established under Bob Chapek leadership, who was very streaming first in his strategy. It didn’t quite pan out and we’re seeing some developments to find a better balance but Disney must definitely be excited knowing just how much people loved the latest Marvel entry.
It also is a good sign that people’s interest in Marvel is still strong as ever with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania set to release in just a few weeks. Early predictions already have it as the biggest opening for the trilogy and have the potential to use its event status alongside the introduction of Kang the Conqueror. So, it’s going to be an exciting year for Marvel and we’ll see just how high the bar will be set in 2023 as the world continues to move on from the pandemic.
There’s been an online debate for years if Marvel Studios catering too much to a younger audience. With the rise of more adult fare like The Boys, some people feel like there’s no place for that franchise anymore. The series creator Seth Rogen, however, does acknowledge that the films are “just not for” him as he believes it’s not made for an “adult with no children.” Though he also aknowledges that is his own personal taste and praises Marvel Studios president KevinFeige.
Yet, he also goes on to highlight that The Boys “wouldn’t exist” if it weren’t for the existence of Marvel Studios. It’s classic counterprogramming that we’ve seen many times throughout the years and a simple evolution that was set by the produciton company in the superhero genre. It’s common that alternatives pop up that cater to different types of audiences that may want to embellish in mocking the other. He also highlights how the “Western” never truly went away but many of its elements still live on in modern projects.
Truthfully, without Marvel, ‘The Boys’ wouldn’t exist or be interesting. I’m aware of that,” Rogen said. “I think if it was only Marvel [in the marketplace], it would be bad. But I think it isn’t – clearly. An example I’m always quoting is, there’s a point in history where a bunch of filmmakers would have been sitting around, being like, ‘Do you think we’ll ever make a movie that’s not a Western again? Everything’s a Western! Westerns dominate the fucking movies. If it doesn’t have a hat and a gun and a carriage, people aren’t going to go see it anymore.
Seth Rogen
ONe could argue that the understanding of what is and isn’t “adult” does leave a lot of wiggle room. The Boys offers some powerful story telling but also enjoys its over-the-top violence and earning its hard-R rating. Yet, that isn’t the case for everyone. Marvel Studios isn’t making films specifically for children but something anyone can enjoy at all ages, as not every adult without a child might agree with Rogen‘s view on the matter.
He makes a good point that a certain type of filmmaking has been very dominant finanically speaking in comparison to traditional cinematic experiences, though he also tries to drive a wedge between these two by describing one as “audiovisual entertainment” and “cinema,” creating a distinction of these experiences.
The debate that sparked from Martin Scorsese has flip-flopped from creative to creative. Blockbusters are still a big part of the cinematic experience but what one describes as “cinema” can change from person to person. There should not be a reason to create a distinction but consider the ramifications of one type dominating the other. Though this is a matter we’ll likely never see a consensus on the matter given how discourse has changed over time.
There’s always an ongoing discussion on the value that Marvel STudios brings as a production studio. There’s a bizarre fascination with the phenomenon of a Cinematic Universe running for over ten years and still having a powerful hold on the market. While Phase 4 may be considered their most “mixed” depending on who you ask, there’s no denying that they still remain a curious cinematic entry in the history.
Yet, as many discuss where its value lies, may it be in its cinematic approach to storytelling or even if it holds any actual cinematic value. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige believes that their main goal is to be “entertaining” to those watching their films or series; the same goes for the creatives working with them to bring these projects to life..
You can have as many beautiful messages, and beautiful life theories, and beautiful thematics that you want to put into the world, that all of us do, and all of our filmmakers do. But if you are not entertaining first, it will fall on deaf ears. And I think that has always been the way, and that thankfully when you are making the kind of movies that you love to see then that will also go into entertaining yourself, which is what we also try to do here at Marvel Studios
Kevin Feige
There are many discussions online, but there’s one thing that does showcase why of all attempts at a cinematic universe, Marvel manages to remain at the top. There’s a passion in the producing team and those they work with. If Marvel is forever only time can tell but as long as there is some passion, they won’t likely stop doing the things they enjoy bringing to life. No matter how the internet reacts but as long as their films fill the seats.
With Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania set to start Phase 5 in February, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is about to dramatically change course in the midst of the Multiverse Saga. Much like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the official list of what a fan should watch to prepare for the film is not quite as simple as you’d think. Part of this is the mere fact that the MCU now has 30 films, 8 Disney+ series, 2 Disney+ special presentations, and I Am Groot. Still, considering the absolute chaos of the Multiverse, the introduction of the Multiverse Saga’s main villain, a Young Avengers setup, and threequel status make Quantumania a fun one for our latest Ultimate List of Things to Watch Before.
At the end of the day, 16 projects made this list with varying degrees of relevance. First, the top three tiers are focused on Scott Lang/Ant-Man’s story as well as the Multiverse. After that, it is hard to ignore that Cassie Lang’s role in Quantumania is setting up yet another (likely) future Young Avenger, so the list takes a stroll down memory lane of others we have already seen. As is tradition, the last category really pushes the limit of what makes sense. In any event, somehow every single MCU Disney+ series has made this list, so get started.
Top Tier
The top tier, as you would suspect, comprises the most important projects to watch before Quantumania based on what we know about the film.
1. Ant-Man
It should go without saying that anyone watching the third film in a solo franchise should start with the original film. In 2015, Ant-Man was the epilogue of Phase 2 and introduced Scott Lang, Hank Pym, and Hope Van Dyne for the first time along with several other key players. From the official Quantumania trailer, we also know that the villain Darren Cross appears to be the face of M.O.D.O.K.
2. Ant-Man and the Wasp
While Ant-Man and the Wasp received notoriously mixed reactions, its focus on the Quantum Realm set up so much of the future of the MCU. The film brought the character Janet Van Dyne into reality but also set up the Quantum Realm as a real place to exist—this is where we will find our characters for much of Quantumania. It also highlights Scott’s relationship with his young daughter Cassie, who will be a teenager and seemingly much more important character in the threequel.
3. Loki
Other than the Ant-Man franchise, the Disney+ series Loki is probably the most important project to watch before Quantumania. The finale introduced us to the first variant of Kang the Conquerer in Jonathan Majors’ He Who Remains, though “Kang” is set to make his more formal debut in the third Ant-Man film. He Who Remains provided an extremely important monologue about who he was and what would happen if variants of himself were allowed to live on. Now, we’re going to watch the consequences of Loki begin to play out, presumably all coming to an end in Avengers: Secret Wars. Quantumania may have gotten the Multiverse Saga’s most important character as its solo film antagonist, and we will surely see the actual multiverse truly come into play in the wider MCU after this film.
Tier Two
The second tier of “must watches” before Quantumania is short, but it focuses on the remainder of Scott’s on-screen story as well as the Quantum Realm’s connection to the multiverse.
4. Avengers: Endgame
Avengers: Endgame very casually dropped the first hints of the Multiverse and the first major consequences of the Quantum Realm and quantum-related technology. Of course, the film shows another appearance of the character, and it is the first time we saw Cassie as a teenager. The father and daughter’s lost time is clearly central to Quantumania, so their reunion early in this film has major significance. A pro tip for the real fans here is that it is always best to watch Avengers: Infinity War along with Endgame, even though there is virtually no Ant-Man significance.
5. Captain America: Civil War
The events of Captain America: Civil War will likely not have much relevance to Quantumania’s story, but in the true MCU spirit of preparing oneself for a solo threequel, all appearances of the character should be watched.
Tier Three
The third tier is (mostly) dedicated to the multiverse. While Quantumania is the first film of the second phase of the Multiverse Saga, Kang’s introduction will likely kick the stakes up a notch.
6. Ms. Marvel
True, Disney+ series Ms. Marvel is not related to the Multiverse. But the series (or at least the first minute or two of the first episode) is here because it mentions that Scott has become a relatively famous person and Avenger post-Endgame. The beginning of the Quantumania trailer also alludes to this fact, so this moment in Ms. Marvel is a significant connecting piece.
7. What If…?
The entrance of Kang and the beginning of Phase 5 can only mean that the MCU’s Multiverse is actually going to start coming out to play. Whether or not it’s a major factor in the main portion of Quantumania is yet to be seen, but the fallout of the film probably carries a lot of multiversal weight. The best way to get into the multiverse mindset is to watch the only project actually dedicated to it, even if it’s at the bottom of most people’s Phase Four favorites lists.
8. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
How can you talk about the Multiverse without the film that has the word in its title? Several potential Young Avengers are present here (discussed more below), but Multiverse of Madness was the first live-action project to genuinely explore the multiverse to a significant extent. While it did not live up to all fans’ expectations, Quantumania will surely build on what we know from the Doctor Strange sequel.
9. Spider-Man: No Way Home
The events of Spider-Man: No Way Home are likely well-removed from the world of Quantumania, but the film is a Multiverse classic, and likely the general population’s favorite of all MCU Multiverse-centered projects to date.
Introducing the Young Avengers
An ongoing rumor—or, more likely, prediction—is that the Young Avengers are slowly being assembled throughout several projects. Cassie Lang’s status as a teenage superhero in Quantumania means yet another obvious candidate will be introduced. Notably, Multiverse of Madness (which is already listed above) introduced America Chavez and featured young versions of Wiccan and Speed for the second time in the MCU.
10. Hawkeye
Kate Bishop’s inclusion in Disney+ series Hawkeye got plenty of Young Avengers hype. Not only is she a classic Young Avenger in the comics, but the character has received by far the most attention of any of the likely future members.
11. WandaVision
Wanda’s children, Billy and Tommy, perhaps sparked the first rumors of a future Young Avengers project. The duo’s powers as Wiccan and Speed were also featured in the Disney+ series WandaVision, making it clear that they likely have a superhero future outside of the show.
12. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Often overlooked, another likely Young Avenger made his debut in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Elijah Bradley, who becomes the superhero Patriot in the comics, has a couple of brief appearances alongside the focus on Isaiah Bradley, a lost/covered-up supersoldier Bucky encountered during the Korean War.
Why Not?
The title of this section says it all. The following projects do have some connection (maybe) to Quantumania in some way, but those connections are extremely distant from anything particularly important. This category is for the true fans.
13. Moon Knight
While Disney+ series Moon Knight notably omits references to the broader MCU, one of its few Easter eggs is actually Kang-related. In its third episode, the image on the back of one of the generic goons Marc Spector fights is a reference to Kang the Conquerer’s time as the pharaoh Rama-Tut in the comics (and presumably the MCU as well).
14. Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
One of the worst connections thrown your way yet, the post-credits scene of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings shows that the Ten Rings have a beacon—and the Quantumania teaser trailer also featured a beacon that clearly led to the Quantum Realm and likely Kang directly. Are all beacons the same? No. But could the Quantum Realm be relevant to mystical items like the Ten Rings or Ms. Marvel’s bangles? Maybe—you should probably watch this just in case.
15. She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
The final two projects in this list are certainly a reach but a connection can still be made. The final Disney+ series so far, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, teased the criminal organization the Intelligencia. While we do not know if the name is the only thing borrowed from the comics, we do know that M.O.D.O.K., a Quantumania villain, is a member of the supervillain and super-scientist organization in the comics.
16. Iron Man 3 (AIM)
Like She-Hulk, Iron Man 3 has a loose connection to Quantumania involving M.O.D.O.K.’s comic book history. M.O.D.O.K. has an extensive history with the criminal organization A.I.M., which was briefly introduced and teased in the final Iron Man film.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania hits theaters on February 17, 2023.
Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania continues to ramp up its marketing campaign with new stills from the movie. Not jus that, they are also giving the fans a few more hints at the plotlines of the film. Speaking with Empire Magazine, Kevin Feige teased Kang the Conqueror’s role in Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania, and revealed more about his goal in the movie. He alludes to the fact that Kang is seemingly stranded with a device that could do so much more.
He has a ship and a device that would allow him to go anywhere, and any when he wants if he can get it online. If only he had access to genius scientists with Pym Particles.
Kevin Feige
While we don’t know what his ship looks like, the “device” here seemingly refers to the Time Chair, a device of much significance in the comics. We know from the trailer played during last year’s San Diego Comic-Con that Kang made a “deal” with Scott Lang and that he was holding his family hostage until Ant-Man completed his part of the deal.
While Kang’s objectives have been teased multiple times, all of which have pointed toward the cliché multiverse-domination goal, this quote makes him look less like Thanos and more like a guy who just needs the right people at the right time. This definitely makes Cassie Lang’s mistake with the device she created seem less of an accident and more of a perfect flaw, which Kang was just waiting for.
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