Will there be an Ant-Man 4?

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania hits screens this month, begging the question, is that the last we’ll see of Scott Lang onscreen, or will there be an Ant-Man 4?

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is the third film in the Ant-Man franchise, and based on the information that’s been forthcoming, as well as the trailers released this far, it’s shaping up to be the hero’s most spectacular adventure yet.

The film finds Scott Lang fighting his most dangerous foe yet – Kang the Conquerer – with the official synopsis as follows…

In the film, which officially kicks off Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Super-Hero partners Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne return to continue their adventures as Ant-Man and the Wasp. Together, with Hope’s parents Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne, the family finds themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought was possible. Jonathan Majors joins the adventure as Kang.

Will there be an Ant-Man 4?

Early word regarding Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania suggests this could be the end of the road for Scott Lang, which in turn might mean Ant-Man’s story ends with Part 3.

Stephen Broussard, VP of Production & Development at Marvel Studios, has suggested that the events of the movie will have far-reaching consequences for the MCU.

“We talk about movies like Captain America: The Winter Soldier, in which you saw the fall of S.H.I.E.L.D. and it felt like the entirety of the MCU turned on that,” explains Broussard.

“Captain America: Civil War was another film where you saw heroes divided and in camps and battle lines being drawn – it really felt like the future of the MCU was going to be defined by the action of that film. We really liked the idea of making this Ant-Man film as important and integral to the MCU going forward.”

The film marks Kang the Conqueror’s movie debut, and as he’s the MCU’s major villain for the foreseeable future, the character is expected to make a major statement in Quantumania. With speculation rife that he’ll murder Scott Lang, in the process killing the Ant-Man franchise.

The evidence for that can be found in the most recent trailer, when Kang laughs at Scott and says: “You thought you could win?” To which Lang responds: “I don’t have to win… we both just have to lose.”

Fans fear that writer-director Peyton Reed was alluding to that death when he earlier told Access Hollywood: “Things happen in this movie that are going to change the Marvel Cinematic Universe permanently.”

Is there room for Ant-Man 4 in a future Marvel Phase?

This is how Phase 5 currently looks for the MCU…

• Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (February 2023)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (May 2023)
• The Marvels (July 2023)
• Captain America: New World Order (May 2024)
• Thunderbolts (July 2024)
• Blade (September 2024)

So unless that schedule changes, there won’t be another standalone Ant-Man movie in that specific era. But, Phase 6 is looking a little light at the moment, with just four films currently filling out that schedule…

• Deadpool 3 (November 2024)
• Fantastic Four (February 2025)
• Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (May 2025)
• Avengers: Secret Wars (May 2026)

Meaning that if Scott Lang survives Ant-Man 3 – and makes a mint at the worldwide box office in the process – Ant-Man 4 could fly into cinemas post-Secret Wars.

Alternatively, the franchise might survive in a different iteration, with Evangeline Lilly’s Wasp taking center stage in a future film. Or even be top-lined by Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), who acquires a super-suit in Part 3 that paves the way for her own potential adventures.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania hits screens on February 17, 2023. You can find out more about the movie here, and other Marvel news here.