'Ant-Man': The sequel's release date and how the first won over audiences
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Molly Driscoll Staff writer
A sequel to the 2015 superhero movie 鈥淎nt-Man鈥� will arrive soon 鈥� and the film has an interesting title.
The Marvel sequel, titled 鈥淎nt-Man and the Wasp,鈥� will be released in theaters in 2018. The first movie, which came out this summer, stars Paul Rudd as Scott Lang, who is convinced by scientist Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) to help steal technology from his old company.聽
The Wasp of the title is presumably Hope van Dyne, who is portrayed by Evangeline Lilly in the first movie and is Hank鈥檚 daughter. Hank鈥檚 wife and Hope鈥檚 mother, Janet, went by the Wasp when she was still alive. At the end of 鈥淎nt-Man,鈥� Hank discusses the possibility of Hope getting a suit. It seems that Hope may now be taking on the Wasp name.
鈥淎nt-Man鈥� did well at the box office this past summer, though it is still one of the lesser-grossing Marvel entries, coming in far below such top grossers as 2012鈥檚 鈥淭he Avengers鈥� and a Marvel movie that also came out this summer, 鈥淎vengers: Age of Ultron.鈥�
Many found the first 鈥淎nt-Man鈥� movie to be far from a standard-fare comic book movie adaptation. For one, protagonist Scott Lang is an ex-convict who becomes involved in Hank鈥檚 affairs because he breaks into Hank鈥檚 house 鈥� a far cry from the deeds of Superman. In addition, the movie has many humorous lines (no surprise since it stars Rudd of the 鈥淎nchorman鈥� movies) and revolves around Hank鈥檚 plan. 鈥淚t's a heist movie,鈥� director Peyton Reed said of the film.聽
Marvel is on top of the world right now, with various superhero movies, such as the 鈥淎vengers鈥� series, 鈥淐aptain America鈥� movies, and 鈥淚ron Man鈥� movies becoming box office champions. However, there is of course the danger of Marvel and superhero fatigue, especially with rival studio Warner Bros. planning such films as the 2016 movie 鈥淏atman v Superman.鈥澛�
But Marvel鈥檚 solution seems to be making comic book movies within certain genres. Reed himself said 鈥淎nt-Man鈥� was a heist movie, and when 鈥淐aptain America: The Winter Soldier鈥� co-directors Anthony and Joe Russo came aboard the 2014 film, they were 鈥渢old鈥� that [Marvel] wanted to do a 鈥�70s thriller,鈥� Russo . In addition, Robert Redford, star of such 鈥�70s thrillers as 鈥淎ll the President鈥檚 Men鈥� and 鈥淭hree Days of the Condor,鈥� stars in 鈥淲inter.鈥�
Continuing the 鈥淎nt-Man鈥� series, the first movie of which is very different in tone and plot from such entries as, for example, the first "Captain America鈥� film, seems like a sign that Marvel is continuing this plan of having different genres represented in their comic book films.
