Marvel fans may have already seen the last of two beloved Ant-Man characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Audiences last saw the entire Ant-Family in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The 2023 movie concluded with the heroes successfully defeating Kang the Conqueror, leaving them with a happy ending.
While Paul Rudd is confirmed to reprise his role as Scott Lang/Ant-Man in Avengers: Doomsday, none of his Quantumania co-stars will be joining him, casting doubt over their future in the MCU. Now, trusted insider Alex Perez has revealed two beloved Ant-Man characters whose time in the MCU is seemingly over.
Which Ant-Man characters won’t return in future MCU movies?
Responding to fan questions as part of his latest Cosmic Circus Q&A, Perez revealed that Marvel Studios currently has “no plans for Hank [Pym] and Janet [Van Dyne] moving forward.” Michael Douglas and Michelle Pfeiffer played Hank and Janet — the original Ant-Man and Wasp — in the MCU, appearing in five and three projects, respectively.
Avengers: Secret Wars is expected to feature a soft reboot of the MCU, bringing the X-Men, Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, and the Avengers together under a true shared timeline. While some fans have theorized that Marvel Studios might use this opportunity to resurrect dead characters and recast others with younger actors, that doesn’t seem to be the case for Hank and Janet.
Douglas has semi-retired from acting. The actor shared at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, “I did not want to be one of those people who dropped dead on the set.” Pfeiffer, however, is still acting, although it’d be a tad strange to have Janet in an Ant-Man movie without Hank, given their storied history together.
Another Ant-Man character whose future remains unclear is Hank and Janet’s daughter, Hope Van Dyne, who has been played by Evangeline Lilly since 2015. Lilly has also stepped back from acting, although she has indicated that she “might return to Hollywood one day.”
Following Lilly’s retirement news, a rumor came out stating that Janet Van Dyne/Wasp would “die off-screen in Avengers: Doomsday.” If true, this was likely done by Marvel to address why the character was not back alongside Rudd’s Ant-Man in the crossover event.
All three Ant-Man movies can be streamed on Disney+, while Avengers: Doomsday arrives in theaters on December 18, 2026.
