Ant-Man has yet to hit theaters, but – as we’ve come to expect from any Marvel Studios project – there’s already been plenty of talk about a sequel. The tiny Avenger’s big screen debut is tracking well and gaining positive reviews from fans and Marvel directors alike, so as long as it’s not a shocking disappointment, Ant-Man 2 is almost inevitable.
Peyton Reed has already stated that he’d love to direct another film centering on the goofily named hero, and now he’s expressed his desire to shed some of the spotlight on the old Ant-Man, Hank Pym.
[zerg]Pym, who’s played by Michael Douglas, is the original Ant-Man who passes the mantle to Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang. His history with S.H.I.E.L.D. and heroics will be teased in the movie, but Reed has revealed that there’s “a lot of story to tell” with the character and even suggested that, should Ant-Man 2 get made, it could be a prequel.
In an interview with Marvel.com, he said:
“Listen, if we were lucky enough to be able to do a sequel or a prequel, I’d be way into it. I’ve really fallen in love with these characters. I was always in love with the characters in the comic book world, but there’s a lot of story to tell with Hank Pym. Growing up reading comics in the late ‘60s, early ‘70s, as a really young kid, he’s one of the defining characters in the Marvel Comics universe [to me]. Hank Pym is one of the most compelling characters in the Marvel Comics world.”
Anyone familiar with the wealth of Pym-centric Ant-Man stories knows how exciting the prospect of a prequel film sounds. He’s a founding member of the Avengers, along with his wife Janet Van Dyne, the original Wasp. Janet is, as far as we know, absent from Ant-Man, so there’s plenty of light to shed on her story.
From a logistical standpoint, it actually makes the most sense to make Ant-Man 2 a prequel film; Scott Lang will be incredibly busy over the next few years, as he’ll go on to join the Avengers in next summer’s Captain America: Civil War and is expected to have an expanded role in the MCU for the two upcoming Avengers: Infinity War installments.
There may not be room for another solo Ant-Man story for a while, but going back in time, a la Agent Carter or Captain America: The First Avenger, could open the gates for more stories and tell new MCU chapters not directly affected by the massive upcoming slate.
Of course, this is all up in the air for now, as Marvel has yet to greenlight an Ant-Man sequel. We’ll find out if this is possible at all when the film opens on July 17th, 2015.
Tell us, would you like to see Ant-Man 2 as a prequel focusing on Hank Pym? Let us know in the comments below.
Published: Jul 1, 2015 09:20 pm