With the world premiere of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania now behind us, we only have a few more days before audiences across the globe finally get a chance to see the latest Marvel Studios film, which will also serve as the introduction of the next big bad, Jonathan Majors’ Kang. The Illuminerdi was lucky enough to attend the official press conference for the film, and from it, we got some interesting insights into the story of Quantumania, and in particular, the character of Ant-Man.
When asked what it is that brings Scott Lang back into superheroing when he was quite happy with his regular life, Paul Rudd said the following:
“When we start this movie, when you see this movie, it’s kind of in present day, the events of Endgame, everything has already transpired. So Scott has, I wouldn’t say, is taking a victory lap, but others might say that and he’s written a book, kind of explaining (the events), a bit of a memoir, ‘Look Out for the Little Guy,’ and he’s explained everything that’s been going on in life and his experiences with the Avengers. But now he is ready to have some time be a normal dad.
And, you know, there’s some issues there because we missed out on a lot. And I kind of want to recapture some of those years. Cassie is older, so she has ideas of her own. So we’re trying to kind of grapple with all of that.”
Paul Rudd, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantummania
RELATED: ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA FIRST LOOK AT WILLIAM JACKSON HARPER’S MYSTERIOUS QUAZ
As seen in the trailer, Scott’s desire to get back some of those years with his daughter is one of his biggest vulnerabilities and something that Kang will exploit to get into his head during the course of the film.
Reactions and box office projections for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
Following the world premiere on Monday night in Los Angeles, social media was flooded with initial thoughts and reactions to the film. The Illuminerdi called it “Marvel’s biggest phase opener”, adding that it packs “a lot of punch in the smaller moments”:
Other reactions praised Jonathan Majors’ portrayal of Kang the Conqueror, teasing that he’s a force to be reckoned with. They also noted that the film finally seems to steer the overall story of the MCU into a clear direction, which some fans were clamoring for after a convoluted Phase 4:
RELATED: WATCH PAUL RUDD SELL HIS MCU MEMOIR LOOK OUT FOR THE LITTLE GUY IN HILARIOUS NEW ANT-MAN 3 PROMO
In terms of its box office projections for opening weekend, Quantumania promises to be the biggest of the three Ant-Man films. Box Office Pro is predicting a number between $98M and $128M for the first three days of release in the US. By comparison, Ant-Man opened to $57M while Ant-Man and the Wasp made $75M in its first three days. If it came within the aforementioned range, though, it would be the lowest opening for an MCU movie since Shang-Chi in September of 2021. However, if early buzz bodes well for it and the number ends up slightly higher than the upper limit set by Box Office Pro, it could potentially surpass Thor: Love and Thunder’s $145M opener.
RELATED: Paul Rudd Reveals How Ant-Man’s Feelings About Being a Superhero have Changed Since the 1st Film
No additional predictions have been set so far, but over the next few days, we should hear from Disney’s internal numbers. It should be expected, however, that they are lower than Box Office Pro’s since they like to set expectations lower than average so that they can then celebrate. The final, worldwide number is very much up in the air at this point and will depend on how well the movie is received by audiences. Unlike Avatar: The Way of Water, Quantumania will face some competition early in its run with Cocaine Bear (February 24) and Creed III (March 3), which could take a dent out of its box office.
The biggest competitor, though, will be March 17’s Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania releases exclusively in theaters on February 17, 2023. Tickets are now available.
ABOUT ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA
Release Date: February 17, 2023 (USA)
Director: Peyton Reed
Cinematography: Bill Pope
Screenplay: Jeff Loveness
Composer: Christophe Beck
Producers: Kevin Feige, Stephen Broussard
Cast: Jonathan Majors, Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Kathryn Newton, Michelle Pfeiffer, Micahel Douglas, Bill Murray, William Jackson Harper, Katy M. O’Brian, Randall Park
Post-Credit Scenes: 2
Synopsis:
Super-Hero partners Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) return to continue their adventures as Ant-Man and the Wasp. Together, with Hope’s parents Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), and Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), 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 possible.
Directed by Peyton Reed and produced by Kevin Feige, p.g.a. and Stephen Broussard, p.g.a., “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” also stars Jonathan Majors as Kang, David Dastmalchian as Veb, Katy O’Brian as Jentorra, William Jackson Harper as Quaz and Bill Murray as Lord Krylar. The sci-fi adventure opens in theaters on Feb. 17, 2023
At this point, what is your excitement level for it? Are you encouraged to see that it’s getting overall positive buzz? What do you think its opening weekend will be? Do you have any final predictions going into the film? Let us know by dropping us a tweet on our social media!
KEEP READING: ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA DIRECTOR SHARES THE SIGNATURE OF ALL OF THE ANT-MAN MOVIES
