Marvel Studios has just officially announced today that they will bring back Ant-Man in a sequel titled Ant-Man and The Wasp. Paul Rudd (This is 40) will return to star as the titular male lead, and Evangeline Lilly (The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug) will also be officially deemed as superhero The Wasp, this time sharing the marquee with her costar.
This will mark the first time that a Marvel movie will have a female’s name in the title, beating out the long-rumored Black Widow (played by Scarlett Johnasson) solo project. The decision also necessitates the push back of two upcoming Marvel movies. Ant-Man and The Wasp is slated to hit theaters on July 6, 2018. Black Panther, which had originally slated to open on a similar July 2018 release date is now slated to open on Feburary 16, 2018 and Captain Marvel is now scheduled for an early 2019 release. Along with this announcement, Marvel has also reported three untitled 2020 films for a probable Phase Four kick off for their Cinematic Universe.
With Phase Two coming to a close with the first Ant-Man film, Marvel begins Phase Three with their next release, Captain America: Civil War, which will be in a theater near you on May 6, 2016.
Ant-Man opened in theaters this passed July, marking the cinematic debut of Rudd’s Scott Lang and Lilly’s Hope Van Dyne. The film also starred Michael Douglas (Behind the Candelabra), Corey Stoll (Black Mass), Michael Pena (The Martian), Judy Greer (Addicted to Fresno) and Bobby Cannavale (Spy). Director Peyton Reed (Down With Love) famously took over the troubled production from original helmer Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World). The film has so far brought in more than $400 millions at the worldwide box office.