The MCU has seen several villains leave their mark, the most notable being Thanos. But that may change, as Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania director Peyton Reed says Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror is an antagonist unlike anything that has come before.
Fans first met the MCU's take on Kang the Conqueror in Loki's season one finale, though it was in the form of his variant, He Who Remains. After Sylvie sends Loki back to the TVA headquarters, she ultimately kills He Who Remains, unleashing a multiverse with alternate timelines (and Kangs).
While Majors became an instant favorite for his portrayal -- receiving early praise from co-star Paul Rudd -- fans will be introduced to another, more menacing version of the character in Ant-Man 3, one who Reed believes will be a worthy follow-up to Thanos. "This is the biggest adventure that Ant-Man and Wasp have ever gone on," Reed said during the CCXP event in Brazil (via Collider). "We’re going to some strange places and we’re encountering an antagonist unlike anything they’ve ever experienced. And that includes Thanos."
Reed's comments, as most comic book readers know, are no surprise, considering that Kang's goal seems to be to control every single reality in existence. Reed would go on to compare the He Who Remains and the variant fans will see in the upcoming film. "They're Variants, but they are extremely different people. Kang is someone who has dominion over time, but he conserves his energy. He’s a very, very scary character to deal with, as these two found out."
And knowing that the next Avengers fill will be titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, Ant-Man 3 is going to have big stakes for the MCU moving forward. In addition to his portrayal of Kang, Majors also pointed out his impressive superhero movie physique, and how bulking up was a requirement for the MCU and an opportunity for personal growth. “I look at Kang and I go, Okay, cool. It’s a certain IP where people expect this at a bare minimum,” Majors said. “No one should put themselves or their families in a place where they’re hurting, but your own discomfort is not necessarily a bad thing. That’s growth. It’s not comfortable, but you’re here to save the world, aren’t you? Or take over the world.”
The film will follow Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne, along with Hope's parents Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne, on a new adventure exploring the Quantum Realm and facing Kang. Majors and Rudd will also star alongside Evangeline Lilly's Hope van Dyne/Wasp, Michael Douglas' Hank Pym, Michelle Pfeiffer's Janet van Dyne, and Kathryn Newton's Cassie Lang. The script is penned by Rick and Morty writer Jeff Loveness, who will also write the script for The Kang Dynasty.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania arrives in theatres on February 17, 2023.
Source: Collider