Marvel gifted fans with the first trailer for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania earlier this week, and it definitely made an impression. The footage from Peyton Reed’s upcoming threequel teases a thrilling adventure that should serve as Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne’s greatest challenge yet. In addition to showing off some trippy visuals and the first look at the maniacal Kang the Conqueror, the trailer also teased that Janet van Dyne has been keeping a big secret. But what exactly is the former superhero hiding?
Quantumania will see Scott, Hope, Janet, Hank Pym and Cassie Lang get transported to the Quantum Realm. Those who’ve followed the Marvel Cinematic Universe up to this point surely know that Janet was trapped in the unpredictable dimension for decades. With that in mind, it’s possible that she had some very interesting experiences there – some that she’d probably prefer to forget. We can’t say for sure what she’s referring to when she said there was something she hadn’t told Hope, but we sure can speculate about it.
Janet Is Afraid Of A Dangerous Power That Lies Within The Quantum Realm
Even before the trailer for Quantumania debuted, it was already clear that the Quantum Realm is an incredibly dangerous place. Janet, of course, knows that better than most, given that she spent so much time there. Based on the early footage from the threequel, she’s uneasy about making contact with the “secret universe beneath ours” let alone re-entering it. So one could get the feeling that maybe there’s some kind of specific force or power that has her concerned.
Now, I know what you might be thinking, and Kang, who committed some dark deeds in the comics, isn’t what I’m referring to here. (He and the other variants weren’t freed until He Who Remains’ death in Loki.) What we’re talking about here is a theoretical force of nature, which could factor into the abilities van Dyne gained during her stay in the microverse. It’s a reasonable assumption and, if it proves to be the case, it could actually still involve Kang. Such a power could be related to the bargain that the conqueror apparently tries to strike up with Scott Lang.
Janet Committed Some Unsavory Acts While She Was Trapped In The Realm
Ant-Man’s 2018 sequel unfortunately didn’t have the time to dive deep into Janet’s exploits during the time that she was “lost.” Thankfully, MCU literature has remedied that by providing some invaluable information. Per The Art of Ant-Man and the Wasp, Janet encountered a number of civilizations and was ultimately accepted by one of them. Apparently, she even became a high-ranking member of a society and eventually managed to integrate their tech with her suit. This all sounds nice on the surface, but who’s to say that all of that came together in a peaceful way?
If she’s anything like her husband, Ms. van Dyne surely doesn’t mind doing what’s necessary to get what she wants. Her “acceptance” into said society could’ve been the result of her forcing her way in somehow. One also can’t help but wonder just how she became a bigwig in the community, either. I mean, did she knock off a few people in order to get to the top? That may sound far-fetched on the surface, but it would be interesting from a narrative standpoint. For years, Hank and Hope held Janet to a very high standard while reflecting on her memory. To have that level of reverence be rocked in some way could make for some compelling drama.
The OG Wasp Came Into Conflict With Bill Murray’s Mysterious Character At Some Point
The Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania trailer also provided the first official look at Bill Murray’s MCU character, who’s yet to be named. Murray previously stated that he’s playing a “bad guy,” though it remains to be seen whether he was just joking around at the time. But one thing we can surmise based on the single shot of him is that he’s a man of means. So he could indeed be a high-ranking member of society, just as Janet van Dyne once was, and it’s even been rumored that the two characters do indeed have a history.
Countering the previous theory I offered up, maybe Janet was a benevolent force within the Quantum Realm and drew the ire of Bill Murray’s character at some point. With that, she could be worried about some kind of retribution when she returns with her family in tow. A development like that would add a solid additional layer of conflict on top of the battle with Kang. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’d totally be down to see Michelle Pfeiffer trade a few good barbs with Murray.
Janet Van Dyne Formed An Entirely New Family During Her Time In The Quantum Realm
So this one may sound a bit crazy, but hear me out. Because Janet was trapped in the Quantum Realm for some time, it’s possible that she didn’t think she’d get out, before she learned that the door to the realm opens every so often. It’s not wild to think that in the interim, Janet became close with someone and maybe started another family. Now, you may be wondering, “So if that’s the case, then why would she leave them so easily?” If a “quantum family” does theoretically exist, Janet could’ve come clean with them about Hank and Hope and made a (potentially messy) break from them sometime before her husband on earth rescued her.
This kind of revelation would really shake up the dynamic within the Pym/van Dyne brood. Imagine just how shattered Hank would be to learn that his love moved on while he, to our knowledge, remained faithful. And such a reveal would also be absolutely devastating for Hope, who longed for her mother’s presence for decades. I don’t even want to think about how the younger van Dyne would react if she learned that someone else received her mom’s love during the time that she was without her. Definitely take this theory with a grain of salt, but I’m certainly not ruling it out.
Regardless of what happens with Janet van Dyne in Quantumania, I’m just glad that it appears she’s going to get to do more this time around. Michelle Pfeiffer loves being part of Ant-Man and the MCU, and it would certainly behoove director Peyton Reed and writer Jeff Loveness to utilize her talents. (Also, Pfeiffer got into superhero shape for the threequel, so one would hope that she gets a few solid action sequences.) I’m eager to see what lies ahead for Janet and what her big secret ends up being.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, one of the biggest upcoming Marvel movies, hits theaters on February 17 as part of the schedule of 2023 movie new releases. While you wait for it to premiere, you can stream the first two films in the franchise using a Disney+ subscription.
