Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's press tour is in full swing, meaning fans can expect to learn more about the behind-the-scenes development of the project. During a press conference for the film, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige revealed that Michelle Pfeiffer's casting as Janet van Dyne was always central to the film.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania departs from its comic source material by having Janet van Dyne and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) be much older than their Earth-616 counterparts. In the comics, Ant-Man and the Wasp are usually the personas of these characters, who are portrayed as being of a similar age as the other Avengers. In the MCU, Hank and Janet have passed the mantle on to Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and their daughter Hope (Evangeline Lilly).
Slashfilm reported on a press conference for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Feige was present for the press conference, and while there, he gave some positive words about Pfeiffer's casting. "I have to say, in terms of the trilogy, the Ant-Man trilogy, there is a flashback in the first film to The Wasp, the original Wasp, Janet van Dyne. We don't see her face. She's wearing a mask." Feige said. "And it was always our dream that someday we could make another movie and that Michelle Pfeiffer could play that character."
While Pfeiffer previously appeared in 2018's Ant-Man and the Wasp, Janet spent most of the film trapped in the Quantum Realm. She's kept the time she spent there close to her heart. Hope, Scott, and Hank are unaware of her prior relationship with Kang (Jonathan Majors) and the dangers of the Quantum Realm. Janet will play a pivotal role in the movie: without her expertise, the group might not make it out of the Quantum Realm alive.
With Kang being a bigger threat than Thanos (Josh Brolin), Janet's awareness of the situation might mean she'll play a significant role in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. If that's the case, she'll be a rarity in superhero media. Usually, women over 50 aren't portrayed as physically capable superheroes. Janet's portrayal in these films could be a unique story in today's world of saturated superhero media.
Quantumania is a more epic Ant-Man film. Now that Janet van Dyne has finally joined the team, it'll also be a more classic Ant-Man tale, and that's an exciting prospect. While the MCU has usually tried to stick to the first iterations of its characters, Janet and Hank's absence from the action has been noticeable. Now's the time to rectify that.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will be released in theaters on February 17, 2023.
Source: Slashfilm