As Marvel plans its next phase of films, they will need to find directors to take charge. They may not have to look far when it comes to the sequel to this past summer’s Ant-Man as director Peyton Reed (Bring it On) is in talks to return to the franchise’s second installment, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Ant-Man and the Wasp will follow the continuing adventures of Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd, The Fundamentals of Caregiving) as he is joined by Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly, The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies) who will adopt the role of The Wasp that was once filled by her mother. Marvel originally didn’t plan to include a sequel to Ant-Man in their ‘Phase 3’ set of films but the popularity of the character prompted them to make an adjustment. This will also be the first Marvel film to feature a heroine in the title.
Reed took over the first film after creative differences forced the studio to part ways with Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World). Given that Reed was able to make the film to Marvel’s liking and that it was a moderate success, it makes sense that the studio would want to bring the director back to the franchise. The sequel currently doesn’t have any writers on board although the film is set to release July 6, 2018. Reed recently finished the TV movie Ellen More or Less but has no other theatrical projects in the pipeline.
As the post-credit scene teased, Ant-Man will appear next in Captain America: Civil War, set to release May 6, 2016. We’ll have more on Ant-Man and the Wasp as news surfaces.