As soon as Marvel announced Ant-Man & the Wasp, viewers assumed there’d be an Ant-Man 3. The first movie defined a jokey premise to be a successful capper to Phase 2, and now the sequel bumps Evangeline Lilly’s Hope van Dyne to top billing alongside Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang. With Ant-Man set to be a key part of Avengers 4, the third movie for him seems inevitable.  In Marvel’s view, the Ant-Man occupies a unique place in the MCU. Kevin Feige has described this franchise as “something for families, something that’s a little younger,” and no doubt the studio will be keen to continue that.

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Ant-Man 3 Is Yet To Be Confirmed

The MCU’s future is a closely-guarded secret, and Marvel is avoiding making the kind of announcements we saw for the Phase 3 slate. “We’re going to keep it very close to the vest,” Marvel visionary Kevin Feige explained, “because this is really about focusing on the unprecedented conclusion to a 22-movie overarching narrative.” All that means Ant-Man 3 is yet to be confirmed.

In January, Michael Peña - who plays fan-favorite Luis - made a throwaway reference to a third film. He later clarified that he was only talking about hypotheticals, and had “no idea” if Ant-Man 3 was in the works. Director Peyton Reed recently confirmed that he’s had conversations about a threequel, but couldn’t give any indication of definite plans. As he pointed out, though, this doesn’t mean fans should lose hope. “We didn’t have any idea there would be a second Ant-Man until maybe a month or so after the first one came out,” Reed noted.

Read More: Marvel After Avengers 4: Everything We Know About MCU Phase 4

Returning Cast: Who Should Come Back?

It’s unclear how many films are on Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly’s contracts, but both seem positive about returning. Rudd is deeply attracted to the franchise’s focus on family, and would like to continue exploring Scott Lang’s relationship with his daughter, Cassie. For Lilly, when production finished on Ant-Man & the Wasp she noted, “Now, the immediate question is when do I get to do it again?”

It’s likely the wider Ant-Man family would also return, including Michael Douglas’s Hank Pym, Michelle Pfeiffer’s Janet Van Dyne, and Abby Ryder Fortson’s Cassie Lang. Given the end of Ant-Man & the Wasp, we could also see Laurence Fishburne’s Bill Foster and Hannah John-Kamen’s Ghost return as well.

How Would Ant-Man & the Wasp and Avengers 4 Set Up A Sequel?

SPOILERS for Ant-Man & the Wasp in this entry.

Ant-Man & the Wasp’s post-credits scenes lays the groundwork for next year’s Avengers 4, where Scott Lang is expected to play a major role. Given Avengers: Infinity War killed off characters we know are destined to return in sequels, it’s safe to assume Avengers 4 will see the surviving heroes either undo or avert Thanos’s famous “snap.” Once that’s done, Marvel will presumably be able to pick up the Ant-Man franchise where they left off.

Perhaps the most exciting detail is that Kevin Feige has openly admitted Marvel is “planting seeds” for the Young Avengers. In the comics, Scott’s daughter Cassie becomes Stature, a member of the Young Avengers. Cassie’s love for her father, and her interest in perhaps someday becoming a superhero, is clearly setting up what Feige has openly described as a “cool” idea.

Read More: Ant-Man & the Wasp May Hide A Major Captain Marvel Connection

Could There Be A Prequel Starring Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne?

The MCU’s third phase has been completely out of sequence, with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 set in 2014 and next year’s Captain Marvel based in the ’90s. As such, there’s no reason the Ant-Man franchise couldn’t take a step back in time and chart the adventures of the original Ant-Man and the Wasp, perhaps in some sort of Cold War thriller. Marvel’s de-aging technology is swiftly becoming the stuff of legends, and they’d surely be able to pull it off.

There’s no evidence the idea has been discussed at Marvel, but Michael Douglas is excited about the possibility. “I’m ready. I’m geared. I need a good stunt double. You know, I’ll find him, but now you can make me look 40 years younger let’s do the whole job!”

Would Peyton Reed Return as Director For Ant-Man 3?

Director Peyton Reed sounds keen to stay with the franchise. “There is a story to tell there," he observed. “Definitely. There is a story we’ve talked about potentially.” If Marvel do indeed greenlight a third film, it’s safe to say Reed will be sticking around.

We’re A Long Way from Any Poster or Trailers for Ant-Man 3

As Marvel hasn’t even confirmed that a third Ant-Man film will be in the works, there are no official marketing materials for the potential sequel.

More News on Ant-Man 3

  • Ant-Man & the Wasp Actor Could Be An Iconic Villain for Ant-Man 3 Ant-Man & The Wasp Review: Marvel’s Smallest Heroes Steal The Spotlight Ant-Man & The Wasp Director Wants To See A Fantastic Four Crossover

More Upcoming Marvel Movies

  • Captain Marvel Avengers 4 Spider-Man: Homecoming 2 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Black Widow Black Panther 2

  • Ant-Man 2 Release Date: 2018-07-06 captain marvel Release Date: 2019-03-08 The Avengers 4 Release Date: 2019-04-26 spider-man homecoming 2 Release Date: 2019-07-02