‘Quantumania’ writer teases, ‘What if Ant-Man is accidentally in an Avengers movie by himself?’

Ever since the Season 1 finale of Loki, fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been well aware of the fact that Kang the Conqueror (played by Jonathan Majors) is not a villain to be trifled with. Case in point: the next Avengers movie, which debuts in 2025, bears the rather foreboding title of The Kang Dynasty. Before Earth's Mightiest Heroes face off against the multiversal warlord, however, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) will do it with minimal back-up in next month's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, aka the official start of Phase 5.

“The first discussion we had was, ‘What if Ant-Man is accidentally in an Avengers movie by himself?” the film's writer, Jeff Loveness (an Emmy Award-winning veteran of Adult Swim's Rick and Morty) said during an interview with Empire.

“We’re not running around the streets of San Francisco anymore," added returning director Peyton Reed. "We’re fighting one of the most powerful villains in Marvel history, and maybe these are the most unlikely Avengers to be the first to go up against this guy."

Back in 2015, the idea of a semi-obscure hero like Ant-Man leading a summer blockbuster was something of a risky bet. Fast forward nearly a decade later, and the microscopic do-gooder armed with Pym Particles has been tapped to launch one of the most pivotal epochs of the MCU (currently in the thick of its Multiverse Saga) to date.

“We wanted to kick off Phase 5 with Ant-Man because he’d earned that position,” explained Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Feige. “To not simply be the back-up or the comic relief, but to take his position at the front of the podium of the MCU."

In terms of story, Quantumania picks up in the aftermath of Endgame: Scott is now a global celebrity thanks to his involvement with reversing the Snap and defeating Thanos.

But the Mad Titan was only just the beginning, as Mr. Lang will soon learn when he, Hope (Evangeline Lilly), Cassie (Kathryn Newton), Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer), and Hank (Michael Douglas) are sucked into the trippy plane of existence that is the Quantum Realm. “It’s a limitless place of creation and diversity and alien life," Loveness explained. “It’s Jodorowsky’s Dune within Marvel.”

Not only does it boast an entirely unseen universe right beneath our feet — it also serves as a prison for Kang, who, as we saw in the most recent trailer, attempts to strike a Faustian bargain with Ant-Man. "When we meet him he’s in a position where he needs to get that power back,” Feige revealed. “He has a ship and a device that would allow him to go anywhere, and anywhen he wants if he can get it online. If only he had access to genius scientists with Pym particles.”

If only, indeed…

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania opens in theaters everywhere Friday, Feb. 17. Tickets are now on sale.

In the mood for more original sci-fi cinema that'll make your head spin? Jordan Peele's Nope is currently streaming on Peacock. If you're craving some classic Paul Rudd hijinks in the comedy space, then check out The 40-Year-Old Virgin.