Ant-Man 3 confirmed: Peyton Reed returns as MCU Phase 4 comes into focus

Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to roll out plans for new heroes as well as sequels for returning favorites, though we haven't heard much about one incredible shrinking hero and his incredible shrinking partner. Until today, that is: Scott Lang (Ant-Man) and Hope Van Dyne (The Wasp) will return to the MCU. 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Peyton Reed, the director of both Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp will return to direct a third Ant-Man film. This is not speculation — THR notes that the director has officially signed on. Keeping that in mind, this would be the first full confirmation we've gotten that there will be another Ant-Man film. Our hopes for one will not be banished to the Quantum Realm — it is definitely happening. 

Paul Rudd is expected to return to the role of Scott Lang, and though nothing has been mentioned yet about Evangeline Lilly returning as Hope "The Wasp" Van Dyne, we certainly hope she's back in the mix as well. Both Rudd and Lilly appeared earlier this year in Avengers: Endgame. 

Plot details are of course being kept a secret at the moment, and no release date has been set. Sources do report to THR that the current plan is for the film to shoot at the end of 2020 or at the beginning of 2021, which might indicate a 2022 release. The same sources say that both Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Thor: Love and Thunder will shoot first. 

Rudd and Lilly's double-act has been a surprising highlight of the MCU thus far, injecting some much needed silliness (and butt-kicking, in Lilly's case) to the Marvel proceedings. We're glad that we can now officially look forward to at least one more Reed-directed tale to astonish!