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As Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’s Feb. 17 release date is just around the corner, it leaves the perfect amount of time to brush up on your knowledge of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The MCU is known just as much for its interconnected plot as it is for its heroes, which means a refresh of the most important films and series is in due order.
Whether you’re a diehard Marvel fan or new to the franchise, here is what you should watch in preparation for the latest entry into the MCU.
What to watch before Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania
Quantumania marks the third film in the Ant-Man franchise, making the first two films of the series worthwhile to brush up on MCU knowledge. 2015’s Ant-Man focused on Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang and his path toward eventually taking on the mantle of the titular hero. The film also saw the debut of Evangeline Lilly’s Hope van Dyne, while planting the seeds for her eventually donning the role of The Wasp. Corey Stoll portrays the villain Darren Cross, aka Yellowjacket, and based on the latest trailer for Quantumania, eagle-eyed fans have noticed he’ll make his return in a new capacity. Revisiting the first film in the franchise should help give a refresh on many plot points being teased early on.
Its sequel film, Ant-Man and the Wasp was released in 2018 and marked the debut of Michelle Pfeiffer’s Janet van Dyne, who will once again play a key role in Quantumania. The film’s focus on Lang and Hope working to enter the Quantum realm in search of Janet should have a resonating effect on the upcoming film, based on some of the teases from the trailers alone. In Quantumania’s teaser trailer, Janet reveals “there’s something I never told you” in response to Hope’s question as to why she’s afraid to return.
Lastly, while Quantumania will mark the debut of Majors’ Kang the Conqueror, it is not the actor’s first foray into the MCU. He first appeared in the Disney+ series Loki, as the mysterious figure known only as He Who Remains. Given that Quantumania will revolve around the concept of multiple universes and subsequent “variants,” Loki is a valuable rewatch for any fan. If not for the plot connections, then it is worthwhile viewing Major’s acting performance alone.