Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is a stark contrast to the previous films in the Ant-Man franchise, but in order to really set itself apart, it needs to correct a mistake that Ant-Man movies keep making. Not only is the Ant-Man sequel changing the scope of the previous films in the franchise, but it is also changing the tone, lending to the belief that Quantumania will be different from anything fans of the series have seen before. In its many changes, however, the Marvel Cinematic Universe film must be sure to eschew one very frustrating trend that has followed the Ant-Man franchise since its inception.
Ant-Man 3 will introduce Cassie Lang into a main role, alongside her father Scott and his friends as they are sucked into the Quantum Realm, where they encounter the villainous Kang the Conqueror, played by Jonathan Majors. Though most of the plot details remain completely unknown, the film is heavily expected to set up Kang's battle with Earth's Mightiest Heroes in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, which is currently set for a 2025 release date. As such, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has become far more important to the larger MCU than its two predecessors were, setting the sequel up to have ripple effects throughout the entire franchise.
The Ant-Man Movies Keep Leaving Loose Ends
Although Marvel projects are known for teasing future MCU movies as distant as 2032, the Ant-Man franchise has a nasty habit of leaving loose ends that have no foreseeable resolution. The first film included Martin Donovan's character, Mitchell Carson, a former SHIELD agent who was revealed to be working for Hydra. His character manages to escape with a briefcase full of Pym Particles during Ant-Man's battle with Yellowjacket. Despite the gravity of this occurrence, Hydra's use of the stolen Pym Particles has not yet had any impact on the MCU, nor has Carson ever been mentioned again, despite the current events of the franchise occurring ten years after his theft.
Furthermore, Ant-Man and the Wasp contains one massive plot hole that the MCU hasn't fixed in the five years since its creation. Walton Goggins portrays the sinister businessman Sonny Burch, who is attempting to get his hands on Hank Pym's miniaturized lab for a mysterious employer, who he alludes to on several occasions throughout the film. However, Ant-Man and the Wasp ends with Burch and his compatriots being arrested without any indication as to who they had been working for the entire time. Not only has the Ant-Man franchise failed to solve this mystery, but the MCU itself also appears to have forgotten about it entirely.
It May Be Too Late For The Ant-Man Franchise To Tie Up Its Loose Ends
Set to feature the introduction of Kang the Conqueror, Cassie Lang's superhero transformation into Stature, and a set-up for The Kang Dynasty, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is already shaping up to be a jam-packed film, which bodes poorly for the loose ends left by its predecessors. Given that the sequel looks to primarily be set in the Quantum Realm, the Earth-based storylines surrounding Hydra's acquisition of Pym Particles and Sonny Burch's mysterious employer don't seem like they could easily fit into the film's plot. More likely than not, these dangling loose ends will go completely unaddressed by Quantumania, leaving these mysteries completely unresolved.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is known for creating and solving its own inconsistencies, though some annoying plot holes manage to persist into Phase 5, including those surrounding the Ant-Man franchise. The best hope of resolving these storylines is for other projects to pick up where Ant-Man left off. Already, there are rumors that Goggins may be returning for Armor Wars, indicating that his employer may finally be revealed. While Donovan's Hydra character could also fit into the film, Marvel has not made any indications of his character's return. Regardless of when these loose ends will be resolved, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania won't be the film to do it.
