10 Actresses Who Could Play The Original Wasp In Ant-Man And The Wasp

Ant-Man far exceeded expectations by grossing over $500 million worldwide, but after failing to take off the same way that Guardians of the Galaxy did back in 2014, the chances of a sequel appeared to be in doubt for a while. That's why it was such a pleasant surprise to see Marvel announce Ant-Man and The Wasp for 2018. While that title no doubt refers to Evangeline Lilly's Hope Van Dyne, the way Ant-Man concluded and comments from the movie's cast appear to indicate that a big part of the sequel is going to be about journeying into the mysterious Quantum Realm to bring back Janet Van Dyne (the original Wasp) after she sacrificed herself years earlier. If that's the case, then an actress is going to have to be found to play that version of the Wasp, and seeing as we know very little about how time works in the Quantum Realm, Marvel can pretty much cast an actress of any age. That opens the door to a lot of possibilities then, but who would be the best possible choice? Here, we take a look at ten of them... 10) Kristen Wiig While Ant-Man was far from an all out comedy, the movie did feature a lot of very funny actors. With Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lilly playing the straight man to Paul Rudd's Scott Lang, it would shake the dynamic up in a very interesting way by having someone like Kristen Wiig play Janet Van Dyne in the sequel. Her comedic work in movies like Anchorman and Bridesmaids aside, and Wiig just so happens to be a great dramatic actress, too, something which is essential given that this movie is no doubt going to deal with some pretty heavy material in regards to the return of the original Wasp. Throw in the likeability factor and there's no denying that her presence would be a real asset here, making Janet a character that fans can instantly connect with. 9) Gemma Arterton Gemma Arterton may have made some poor decisions by saying yes to blockbusters like Clash of the Titans, Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters and Prince of Persia, but the beautiful British actress is undeniably talented and a hit for her is long overdue. She's actually shown just how great she is with memorable performances in the likes of Byzantium and The Voices, and as an actress who brings a lot of energy to her characters, Arterton could really bring something very special to the table with Janet Van Dyne. That's essential to make her stand out from Lilly's Wasp, especially if the two heroes end up meeting and fighting side by side in the movie at some point. Plus, there's no denying that the actress looks absolutely perfect for the role of The Wasp. 8) Sandra Bullock Sandra Bullock is an incredibly talented actress, and while it would have once been impossible to imagine her saying yet to a comic book movie role, you need only look at the kind of actors the Marvel movies are able to attract these days for proof that the Gravity star could very well say yes to Ant-Man and The Wasp. Despite starring in a lot of very heavy dramas over the years, Bullock has appeared in her fair share of comedies, too, so there's really no reason to suspect that she wouldn't fit right into this corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Regardless, nabbing a name as big as this would be a huge win for the Phase Three sequel, and Bullock would be a great fit for Janet. 7) Kelly Macdonald If you've never watched HBO's fantastic Boardwalk Empire, then chances are you may not be all that familiar with Kelly Macdonald. She's had minor roles in movies like Anna Karenina and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (as well as a leading one in Pixar's Brave), but has yet to have a breakout role in Hollywood, so Ant-Man and The Wasp could be just that for the Scottish actress. Used to playing a character who has a rather difficult husband, Macdonald is magnetic to watch and someone who is very easy to root for, even when she makes some questionable decisions. She's just one of those actresses who it's extremely easy and enjoyable to watch perform, and it's not remotely hard to imagine her doing Janet Van Dyne justice in Ant-Man and The Wasp. 6) Olivia Wilde Recently, Olivia Wilde has made her interest in joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe clear, with Captain Marvel seemingly her top choice. While the House and TRON: Legacy star would no doubt be very good in that role, it's one I find a little hard to picture her in. But how about Janet Van Dyne? Well, she's a near perfect fit for that character in my opinion. We may not know much about how this version of the original Wasp is going to be portrayed, but Wilde is someone who have proven over the years that she has a great handle on action, comedy, and playing strong and very intelligent leads. All of that actually sums Janet up rather well, and Wilde could really help to elevate The Wasp, making her the character fans have been waiting years to see. 5) Sarah Silverman If Marvel decide to go the full on comedic route with Janet Van Dyne in Ant-Man and The Wasp, Sarah Silverman would be a great choice. After all, it makes sense that the studio might go in that direction, especially as it would offer some insight into where Hope got some of her funnier personality traits from (not to mention offering a rather interesting dynamic with Janet's slightly more straight laced husband, Hank Pym). After showing off her humorous side in the likes of A Million Ways to Die in the West and Louie, Silverman has displayed a very different kind of performance in Masters of Sex, proving that she would bring a lot more than just laughs to this sequel. An unconventional choice, yes, but one who could actually really shock sceptical fans. 4) Helen Mirren As I mentioned at the start of this post, Marvel has the opportunity here to cast pretty much anyone they like as The Wasp, so if they decide to go down the route of her being roughly the same age as Hank Pym, then Helen Mirren would be absolutely perfect. The extremely talented British actress brings a lot of gravitas to any role she takes on, and has proven in the past that she's not one to say no to an action blockbuster (RED may have been terrible, but she certainly stood out as a highlight). The interesting thing about casting a Janet of this age is that the character would have lost years of her life stuck in the Quantum Realm, a potentially fascinating plot point to explore in this sequel. Throw in the fact that Mirren is simply amazing, and this would be very exciting to see. 3) Kate Winslet Another actress it may have once been tough to imagine starring in a comic book movie, Kate Winslet would be a welcome addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After heading into the blockbuster realm with the underwhelming Divergent, Winslet bounced back with some serious Oscar buzz thanks to her performance in Steve Jobs, and it's that kind of flexibility in the roles she takes on that arguably makes her such an interesting choice for The Wasp. Maybe it's just me, but I find it very easy to imagine the actress having a lot of chemistry with her on screen daughter Evangeline Lilly, and Winslet has the kind of presence around her which would make her being part of this movie feel like a very big deal, especially as she'd lend the role some real gravitas. 2) Helena Bonham Carter Other than a flashback depicting the character sacrificing her life for the greater good and some comments from Hank Pym, we really have no idea what to expect from Janet Van Dyne in Ant-Man and The Wasp. So, Helena Bonham Carter would be a very intriguing and unique choice because of how diverse a performer she is. Over the top and massively fun to watch in some roles and a genuinely great dramatic performer in others, The Suffragette star may seem like a strange or unexpected suggestion for a role such as this one, but she's someone who could do a lot with a character who definitely needs to stand out from her daughter (especially if two Wasps are going to inhabit the Marvel Cinematic Universe at the same time). We have no doubt in our minds that Bonham Carter would nail it. 1) Catherine Zeta Jones This feels like a no brainer. Ever since it became apparent that Ant-Man and The Wasp would likely factor in the original Wasp, fans have been suggesting that Michael Douglas' real-life wife also takes on that role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Needless to say, their chemistry would be absolutely fantastic, and the publicity this casting would generate is sure to be something Marvel would love. That aside though, and this is a casting decision which has the potential to go down really well. Zeta-Jones is an extremely talented actress, but she's seemingly quite picky about the projects she says yes to, so blockbusters like this aren't something she's delved into all that often. As a result, seeing her join this world would be well worth getting excited over come 2018.