Paul Rudd‘s Scott Lang returns for a third solo film in the MCU, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The film follows him and his family, including his now teenage daughter Cassie, girlfriend Hope, and in-laws Hank and Janet, as they venture into the Quantum Realm and face an unexpected threat.
Although this is Scott’s third solo film, it’s actually his fifth appearance in the MCU. Unlike other characters like Cap or Iron Man, Ant-Man didn’t play such a massive role in the Infinity Saga. However, each appearance was meaningful and memorable, more than enough to turn him into a fan favorite. Still, while Rudd was always reliable, not every film that Ant-Man was in was as good as the others.
1 Ant-Man And The Wasp (2018)
Ant-Man and the Wasp features the titular characters joining forces to fight against multiple enemies that want to get their hands on Hank Pym’s shrinking technology. Meanwhile, Hank and Hope are trying to rescue Janet Van Dyne from the Quantum Realm, and Scott deals with the aftermath of his role in the Civil War. Rudd is as charming as ever, and Evangeline Lilly, finally suited up as Wasp, rises to the challenge, aided by the ever-reliable Michael Douglas.
The film is by far the weakest entry into the Ant-Man franchise. It underutilizes several major Marvel characters by trying to juggle multiple storylines at once. Ghost is an underwhelming antagonist, while Walton Goggins‘ Sonny Burch feels like an afterthought. The quest to rescue Janet is compelling, but the film cannot properly deal with it because it’s so busy dealing with all the other unnecessary noise. Worst of all, Ant-Man and the Wasp wastes several incredible actors, from Goggins to cinematic icons like Laurence Fishburne and Michelle Pfeiffer. It doesn’t help that it came out after the massive crossover that was Avengers: Infinity War, a film so grand and ambitious that it made Ant-Man and the Wasp seem almost insignificant in comparison.
2 Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has a huge problem at its center: it doesn’t feel like an Ant-Man and the Wasp film at all. Instead, director Peyton Reed seems to be far more interested in Kang, the Conqueror, and Janet Van Dyne. It’s understandable, considering they’re played by Jonathan Majors and Michelle Pfeiffer, whose nuanced performances are the film’s strongest assets. However, Reed’s passion for Scott and Hope is gone; by the third act, it becomes clear he wanted to make Kang and the Wasp but had to settle for the second-best thing.
Rudd has the least to do in Quantumania compared to his other two movies. However, he remains personable as ever, especially during the film’s early scenes on Earth, where his absurd charm shines through. Scott’s relationship with Cassie, a highlight of previous films, is underwhelming this time, mainly because Rudd and Kathryn Newton can’t sell the pair’s strong emotional bond. However, whenever he’s with Majors or by himself, Rudd reminds everyone why his Ant-Man worked in the first place; he is still this IP’s raison d’etre, and it’s a shame Quantumania forgets it.
3 Ant-Man (2015)
Scott Lang’s MCU debut was an appropriately small-scale adventure that still felt very much on-brand. Ant-Man follows a recently-released-from-prison Lang, who Hank Pym recruits to help retrieve his game-changing shrinking technology from the greedy hands of his former protegé, Darren Cross. Rudd leads a cast including Lilly, Douglas, Michael Peña, Corey Stoll, and Bobby Cannavale.
Ant-Man felt like a true breath of fresh air in the MCU. Sure, it still came across as a small adventure compared to the MCU’s other films, the equivalent of “this could’ve been an e-mail.” However, a hero with impressive and unique-looking powers and Rudd’s irresistible performance made the film a worthy entry into the ever-expanding Marvel universe, then at a point where it seemingly could do no wrong. The film has all the flaws that would become common in the series — an underwhelming villain, low stakes, excessive humor that made it seem sillier than necessary; however, it made up for them through sheer heart, charm, and a memorable Thomas, the Tank Engine sequence.
4 Avengers: Endgame (2019)
A decade of continuous storytelling led to Avengers: Endgame. Reuniting every surviving Avenger, the film features the team planning and executing a “time heist” involving going back in time to retrieve the Infinity Stones after Thanos destroys them. Revisiting crucial moments in the MCU’s history, the team makes great sacrifices and lays it all on the line during one last stand against the Mad Titan.
Even as a part of a large ensemble, Rudd’s Lang shines, mainly because the film perfectly understands the character and utilizes him to his fullest. Acting as more than a McGuffin or comic relief, Rudd and the Russo Brothers make Lang feel like an important member of the Avengers, something the MCU could never do with characters like Hawkeye or War Machine. Endgame is not a perfect movie — the plot all but falls apart when taking a closer look. However, it succeeds as the epic conclusion to a saga unlike anything Hollywood had seen before and a victory lap for a franchise that redefined the blockbuster for the 21st century.
5 Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Before the two massive Avengers crossovers, the MCU first tried a clash of worlds with 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. The film, ostensibly the third entry in the Captain America trilogy, follows Steve Rogers as he attempts to clear his former friend Bucky Barnes’ name after he gets framed for an attack on the UN. Meanwhile, a crusade against superheroes, spearheaded by the Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross, introduces the Sokovia Accords, meant to regulate their activity on the world stage. When Rogers disagrees with the accords, he finds himself in an unexpected and intense battle against his former friend, Tony Stark.
Civil War handles too many storylines to be perfect. However, it mostly succeeds thanks to a fast-paced plot that successfully, if lazily, joins all the dots. The film introduces several characters to the MCU, notably Spider-Man and Black Panther, and even manages to give them a minute in the spotlight. Lang plays a memorable role during the airport battle in the middle of the movie, delivering some funny lines and wowing everyone with the first-ever appearance of Giant-Man. Civil War is messy but exciting and one of the most memorable entries into the MCU.
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