Phase 3 of the Marvel Universe has so many exciting films coming up like Thor: Ragnarok, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, and Captain Marvel. While these films have pretty much dominated fan excitement, Ant-Man and the Wasp has been pushed to the side somewhat. There's only room for so much awesome, and while the Ant-Man sequel may be a bit more low-key right now, it won't stay that way forever. Director Peyton Reed has teased his upcoming sequel and he did it by referencing one of the best shrinking movies out there: The Incredible Shrinking Man.
Peyton Reed teased the development of Ant-Man and the Wasp, which will deliver on the Ant-Man stinger that had Evangeline Lily's Hope van Dyne gear up to assume the mantle of the Wasp. On his Twitter page, Reed posted a picture of some giant props (scissors and a pencil) with a caption that simply read "prep." The picture is actually not of anything that will be in the superhero sequel but is from the 1957 science fiction film The Incredible Shrinking Man. Reed is paying homage to the classic shrinking film, of which there aren't too many. Stay tuned for the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids reference.
The Incredible Shrinking Man tells the story of an ordinary man who begins to shrink steadily every day thanks to getting exposed to a combination of radiation and insecticide. The man continues to grow smaller, doing battle with cats and spiders as his world continually changes around him. He one day grows so small that no one can see him anymore but he ultimately accepts his fate and looks forward to exploring what lies ahead. Peyton Reed's photo of the film could be teasing that Ant-Man and the Wasp will share a similar tone to it or there could be a sequence that pays homage to The Incredible Shrinking Man. Perhaps there's a scene where the duo needs to solve a crisis with household items while trapped at a small size.
Not too much is known about Ant-Man and the Wasp at the moment but it will put Hope van Dyne in the spotlight as she finally assumes her mother's mantle. Peyton Reed returns to direct with a screenplay written by Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari based on a story by Paul Rudd and Adam McKay. Paul Rudd returns as Scott Lang with a cast that is rounded out by Evangeline Lily, Michael Douglas, Michael Pena, and Hannah John-Kamen in an unknown role.
Ant-Man and the Wasp is slated for a July 6, 2018, release date. For movies hitting theaters a bit sooner, check out our 2017 movie release guide to better plan your upcoming theater trips for the rest of the summer.
