So, you’ve watched the newest trailer for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and you have questions. I do too! So it’s time for another trailer breakdown to dig into everything we spotted in this newest glimpse at the upcoming Marvel sequel.
I will be diving into a furious research spiral as I have no knowledge of the Ant-Man comics, but a fondness for Paul Rudd and a begrudging admission that “I enjoy these dumb bug-themed films, actually.” I’ve picked out what I could, but by all means, feel free to educate me further in the comments, I really love that.
Foggy San Francisco
Off to a solid start, a good establishing shot, everyone say hello to Karl the Fog.
I have a Master’s in electrical engineering
God, I love/hate a callback. Scott Lang gets Employee of the Century from his former Baskin-Robbins manager, as seen forever ago in 2015’s Ant-Man.
The Lang/Pym/van Dyne family
Look at their concerned faces! Here we have Ant-Man (Scott Lang/Paul Rudd), Ant-Man (Hank Pym/Michael Douglas), and Wasp (Janet van Dyne/Michelle Pfeiffer) staring at the work table.
Quantum radio
So Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton) has turned on this device, which is sending a… signal? to the Quantum Realm. Far from being just the microscopic world, the Quantum Realm is actually a part of the Multiverse that is pretty hard to get to. You need magic or some Pym particles, and the first requires a lot of training and the second is in short supply. But this thing starts flashing, which is very likely Not Good.
Hope van Dyne has a concern
We’re not sure about this haircut, frankly; Gizmodo’s staff are divided, but I can tell you one thing: Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lily) is very concerned about whatever weird science experiment her step-daughter has been tinkering with.
Shit, meet fan
BOOM! Quantum Radio explodes, sucks the four members of the bug family into the Quantum Realm, and everyone gets catapulted into a brand new multiverse!
Quantum Realm: first looks
So this is a new take on the Quantum Realm, and it’s pretty interesting! Still lots of energy/light, weird floating rocks, bisexual lighting, the whole Weird Marvel Shebang.
WHOMST??
And HERE is where we get weird. Most other depictions of the Quantum Realm have shown it as a deserted weird-west wasteland, but here’s we’re getting our first new character, and he looks like a solid threat. No idea who this guy is but he looks like the Pixar Lamp’s final evolution.
OK, this doesn’t seem great
Our heroes are surrounded by Quantum Realm denizens! Where did they come from? Are they friendly? Can anyone spot any familiar faces, because I can’t!!
The Wasp
So it looks like the family gets broken up pretty fast, and while I’d guess that Scott and Cassie get taken by the denizens noted above, it looks like Hope has escaped.
A tour through the coral
Janet revealing very little about her adventures in the Quantum Realm and also noting that she may have a few secrets of her own.
Entering the realm
My theory here is that this is the entrance of our four dumbasses/heroes into the Quantum Realm, there’s five of these little shooting stars. Typically, I have no idea who this lady is.
A fleshy flying manta ray
While past depictions of the Quantum Realm had massive, adorable tardigrades, I have no idea what this fleshy flatworm/manta ray combo could be. Truly this movie is just going bonkers with its designs, and there’s no good way to tell if this is from the comics or not.
Don’t be suspicious
Embodying the Marvel standard way of avoiding suspicion — head coverings!
Mystery machine
Here’s another strange machine… with Kang in the background? What could this be!?
Chronopolis
I’m loving this version of Kang’s stronghold! This is very likely Chronopolis, a place out of time in the Quantum Realm. Some have speculated that the Time Variance Authority from Loki is in the Quantum Realm/Chronopolis, so I’m hoping we might see some hints of that in the movie.
A standing army
Oh, ok, Chronopolis is a threat, got it.
Ruh-roh
Scott Lang does NOT look happy, and frankly hasn’t cracked a single joke since getting sucked into the Quantum Realm, so who knows if he’ll have any humour left at the end of the film.
KANG!!
Our first look at Kang presents a mysterious, powerful figure, and I am very attached already.
Into the depths
A super cool spacey aeroplane goes into a part of the Quantum Realm that just screams “danger, Will Robinson!” and I’m sure it’s totally fine.
Janet’s super-secret safe
So Janet opens this safe? I think? Maybe it’s got her gear in it, maybe it’s got Pym Particles, who knows! Does anyone recognise those markings on the left?
We love a bar
Honestly, what space-adjacent sci-fi is complete without a cantina scene?
And their seedy clientele
Again, who is this guy?? He looks rad.
Bill Murray??
I mean, I guess so, why not! IMDB still has no info on who this character is, so for now he’s Marvel’s Bill Murray, and we’ll just have to see who he is.
This doesn’t seem great
Again, Scott seems to be getting into a lot of situations that can’t be diffused with a few funny self-defacing jokes, and that’s depressing for me, personally.
Janet vs a spider
This doesn’t seem ideal…
Hell no
Nope.
Something time-fucky seems to be happening
Again, I want to reiterate the TVA theory. I’m sticking with it.
Explosions!
Cool kids don’t look at the explosions. I have no idea how Cassie got a suit, but she and her father are here running towards danger, probably.
Hail to the conqueror
Look, the blue is weird, but I’m willing to give this a chance…
A family affair
People being really protective of Cassie in this scene. Like I get she’s a kid, but it makes me think maybe she’s the key to getting out of this whole situation?
Kang Thee Conqueror
WHEW!! Jonathan Majors, I’m so happy to see you. I love this: the hokey arse suit, the scars, the fact that they decided not to blue the man, it’s great. This is the face of man who will fuck you up on the way to the top and I’m ready!
Scott Lang, in over his head
As is to be expected at this point, Scott Lang is in way over his head and is about to make some choices he’ll regret. I look forward to watching him make mistakes, as I like the faces he makes when he’s sad.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is scheduled to be released on February 17, 2023.
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