Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania writer Jeff Loveness weighs in on his vision for the next project under his purview, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty. He discussed the titular villain, Kang, and how X-Men villain Magneto is a source of inspiration for the next Avengers foe.
While certain people had critiques for the writing during the MCU's Phase 4, this period has ended, and a new crop of projects for the immediate future is coming. Among these, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty stands out as the most important and serves as a loud proclamation of confidence in Kang as a villain, with many unresolved plotlines and fan questions stemming from the last MCU film centering on him.
In a recent interview with Variety, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania writer Loveness discussed his vision for Kang and revealed an intriguing source of inspiration for the characterization. Speaking on the collaborative nature of the MCU team and ideas he picked up from his time there, Loveness noted, “I guess it’s the “X-Men” fan in me, but Magneto is maybe my favorite villain in storytelling. He’s such a compelling villain, because you just bleed for this guy and you sympathize with him so much. So I think we really have an opportunity [with Kang] to have a passionate, vulnerable villain on a crusade against himself, and the Avengers are in the way.” Magneto has not made an MCU appearance, but he is definitely a solid choice for a more human villain that can work despite inhuman power and morality.
Kang's successful characterization and execution as a foe that fans can feel will be pivotal to the health of the MCU's narrative in the future. With Ant-Man 3 producer Stephen Broussard sharing some dark foreshadowing concerning Kang's future within the MCU, it’s clear that this could be a monumental task for Loveness to pull off. This is an impressive undertaking for someone who self-admittedly felt like his time at Marvel felt like a huge fluke, clarifying further by saying, “I feel like I’m like a Make-A-Wish kid or some Dickensian street waif who got pulled into something. I feel really lucky.”
However, the success of the next phase of the MCU might hinge on something far more flimsy, as audience fatigue has started to set in among the previously dedicated fan base. With the possibility that Kevin Feige's approach to sorting the fatigue might not work, whether or not Loveness' work on the next Avengers title will get a fair shake or fall victim to a wave of disinterest remains to be seen.
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is scheduled for a theatrical release on May 2, 2025.
Source: Variety
