Is it truly time for the Wasp to have her very own movie?
The Walt Disney Company’s acquisition of Marvel Studios has led to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) explosion in popularity in recent years. With Phase Four of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga officially over after King T’Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) send-off, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), and Wakanda’s Princess Shuri takes over the reins of the beloved Black Panther superhero, the MCU is in for a big shakeup with the introduction of some seriously world-altering antagonistic forces. A whole new lineup of heroes and Avengers is definitely in the works, especially with Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars slated for 2025 and 2026 respectively. And now, apparently — room for Wasp to take center stage.
With Marvel Studios entering Phase Five this year (if you’re curious about what this means, click here), Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania promises to introduce the world to an iteration of the supervillain Kang the Conqueror (himself a Multiversal variant of Disney+’s Loki (2021) He Who Remains), played by talented Marvel newcomer Jonathan Majors. This new entry into the Ant-Man franchise promises big shifts — with Ant-Man/Scott Lang (Paul Rudd), partner Hope van Dyne/Wasp (Evangeline Lilly), original Ant-Man and mentor Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), wife and original Wasp, Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) — and they are all said to be pushed to their absolute limits in this new Phase Five kick-off. Joining them is Scott Lang’s daughter, Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), who will presumably aid in the fight against Kang, as well as star prominently as part of Ant-Man’s central conflict and his deal with Kang.
After Quantumania though? Hope van Dyne actress Evangeline Lilly spots a new project on the horizon.
Related: Marvel Not Planning to Proceed With Multiverse Storyline
The Canadian actress is definitely ready for more in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as she very clearly details to Variety. Speaking candidly, Lilly teasingly “begs” Marvel to further the Wasp character’s story, and appears to lay it all out there: it’s “time” for the Wasp to shine in her own right. Her tone, however, hints that something might actually be in the works.
During the red carpet interview, Lilly makes a “pitch” to the camera, saying that she “think(s) it might be time” for a “Wasp spin-off”, and “standalone film”. She then makes a suggestive face and looks directly at the camera, asking pointedly, “do we agree?“.
The tweet from Variety is below:
Evangeline Lilly wants a Wasp standalone film. #AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania
Evangeline Lilly wants a Wasp standalone film. #AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania https://t.co/274r8X3JwO pic.twitter.com/8oLMZiwBGa
— Variety (@Variety) February 7, 2023
It’s a rather clear tease here from the Marvel actress herself. Lilly also elaborates on how she feels within the MCU, speaking openly about how she used to feel like an outsider to the already established Avengers “gang”:
When we first came into the universe, it was so established with Black Widow, Iron Man, Captain America, and all the original gangsters. And we were just like these new kids on the block who were trying to earn out stripes… And now all of a sudden we’re in the center at the launching point of Phase 5, and it feels really cool.
Here, Lilly is likely referring to her costars in Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), the blockbuster sensation directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, which saw audiences waving goodbye to Marvel heavyweights Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man and Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America. The other original Avengers team all but retired — apart from the those two, Endgame closed with Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) also dead, while the Hulk/Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) was left terribly injured, while Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth) left Earth with the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Hawkeye/Clint Barton (Jeremy Renner) grappled with the aftermath (in his own Disney+ show, Hawkeye (2021)). These costars of hers definitely left big, iconic shoes to fill, especially after skyrocketing to the public consciousness and geek stardom after 2012’s The Avengers defined that core team. But now, admittedly many of those shoes stand empty.
The question remains, however: will the Quantumania star actually get her very own standalone movie within the Marvel Cinematic Universe? What other stories are there left to tell?
For now, only time will actually tell.
What do you think about a Wasp standalone film? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Right now Marvel fans can enjoy other MCU favorites such as Chris Hemsworth (Thor Odinson) in Taika Waititi-directed Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), as well as Disney+ Originals Moon Knight (2022) and Ms. Marvel (2022), led by Marvel newcomers Oscar Isaac (Marc Spector/Moon Knight) and Iman Vellani (Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel) respectively. Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe wraps things up with Tatiana Maslany as the eponymous She-Hulk: Attorney at Law that debuted August 18, 2022, and Chadwick Boseman as King T’Challa send-off Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, currently streaming on Disney+.