Boing Boing » Ant-Man

Do all roads lead to the Wasp in Iron Man 3 (and The Avengers 2)?

Jamie Frevele — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 19:40:59 +0000

Normally, I would never post about a nebulous movie rumor, but the potential for discussion and mystery is so cool that I couldn't resist. It concerns the possible cinematic introduction of one of the actual, original founding members of the Avengers from the Marvel comics: Janet van Dyne, aka the Wasp. Rumors concerning the Wasp in the first Avengers movie definitely existed before they were squashed, but lately, we've been treated to a bunch of hints that might actually make this a credible subject for speculation.

So, why bother doing an entire post about speculation? The stakes are high, if you've been hoping for more Marvel heroines on the big screen, especially one with superpowers who could also be in The Avengers 2. It's also just so irresistibly old-school Marvel. Let's look at some of the evidence that might just point to the Wasp.

Item 1: A major factor driving the Wasp rumors is the prominence of Stephanie Szostak's name in the official synopsis for Iron Man 3 -- she's billed sixth in the cast list, though her role, thus far, is unnamed. (She also appears for a moment in the trailer, as the woman shoving Tony Stark against the wall at about 1:06.)

Item 2: We've seen glimpses of possible connecting elements for Marvel's "Phase 2" roll-out, including A.I.M., or Advanced Idea Mechanics, the fictional company included in set photos from Iron Man 3 (as well as promotional tee-shirts at San Diego Comic Con) that is also rumored to appear in Ant-Man. So, logic tells us:

If A.I.M. and Szostak are in Iron Man 3, and A.I.M. is in Ant-Man, and Ant-Man founded the Avengers with the Wasp, then Szostak must be the Wasp.

It's a big reach, but it's a fun reach, and there's a common denominator (A.I.M., which actually points more towards M.O.D.O.K. than the Wasp).

Item 3: The most explicit hints, including the involvement of A.I.M. in Ant-Man, come from a mysterious Twitter user named Roger Wardell, who claims to have inside information on everything Marvel -- but no one knows who he really is. So, consider that permission to be very skeptical. That said, Wardell posted a tweet recently about how the revelation of Szostak's role in Iron Man 3 will cause fans to "go crazy." Have any of his "bombshells" panned out? Actually, yes, though it's a spoilery one -- two tweets, one from August and another from September, have mentioned (spoiler text ahoy) Pepper Potts putting on the Iron Man armor. This was confirmed by Marvel this week. So, maybe there's something to this Wardell character.

Item 4: ComicBook.com also received an anonymous tip that claimed, flat-out, that Szostak would be playing the Wasp. But that might be slightly too shady -- or is it? In context, it might make all the sense in the world.

Item 5: Ant-Man, the other founding member of the Avengers (and the Wasp's love interest), is getting his own movie with Edgar Wright at the helm, possibly as soon as 2014. At this point, not having the Wasp on board would seem like a conspicuous omission, don't you think?

As I said, these are all theories and rumors, based on tidbits of information that may or may not be related. Not to mention that all we really have to go on is that Stephanie Szostak is a female actor in a Marvel movie. There are tons of characters she could be playing -- but the Wasp is looking pretty good.

Rumor Patrol: Iron Man 3 To Introduce The Wasp? [Screen Rant]

Photo credit: Marvel

We mere non-Marvel executive mortals might get to see Edgar Wright's Ant-Man sizzle reel

Jamie Frevele — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 21:33:04 +0000

Now that New York Comic Con is approaching, let's talk about San Diego Comic Con! Remember when Edgar Wright showed attendees some test footage for the Ant-Man movie he's officially making for Marvel Studios? We might just get to see it, too! In fact, we might even get to see something even better, since that video was a mere "work in progress" according to Victoria Alonso, Marvel’s executive vice president of visual effects. Though Alonso isn't sure which medium will showcase the reel (released online, frustratingly released on a DVD we'll have to buy, etc.), it does look like the studio will be making it available to a much wider audience of people who are dying to see it, present company included. I recommend watching this space for future developments. (via Spinoff Online)

Ant-Man might be in theaters as soon as 2014

Jamie Frevele — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 16:33:01 +0000

For some reason, and despite the test footage Edgar Wright presented at Comic Con, it still feels (to me, at least) like Ant-Man is still only rumored to be happening. But that feeling is finally shifting now that it's possible that the movie might start shooting as soon as Thor 2: The Dark World is done. Production on that begins next month, which is but a day away, so it's actually true! Ant-Man is coming! I'm finally convinced! No idea why it took so long!

The news comes from Latino Review, which has been so accurate about its Marvel news that Marvel actually threatens them. According to the site, Wright is apparently rushing to get the third movie of his "Blood and Ice Cream" trilogy, The World's End, into production in London so he can transition right into Ant-Man as soon as Thor 2 is finished shooting next spring or summer. This means that 2014 will be what the kids call a "bigass year" for Marvel, giving us Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy in addition to Ant-Man, all in the same year.

All that awesome news, and still nothing about who will be playing Ant-Man himself, Dr. Henry Pym, or if Janet van Dyne (aka the Wasp) will be part of this story. But more importantly: How will Ant-Man, a founding member of the Avengers along with the Wasp, figure into the sequel to The Avengers? So much Marvel goodness, so many questions!

Marvel expected to release Edgar Wright's 'Ant-Man' in 2014 [Geeks of Doom]

Marvel announces it will continue making sequels to everything and then some other stuff

Jamie Frevele — Mon, 16 Jul 2012 19:02:44 +0000

While the DC filmmaking universe languishes and prepares to go into hibernation after Man of Steel is released next year, Marvel is doubling down on every movie it's made already. Can you really blame them? I mean, they're kind of on a roll here. Marvel execs -- such as Kevin Feige -- might also might be convincing themselves that S.H.I.E.L.D. is real and they are S.H.I.E.L.D., what with their official announcement at Comic-Con of "Phase Two." No, really, Marvel's slate of sequels is being referred to as "Phase Two," as if it was a second wave of Chitauri arriving on Earth. I just hope that Phase Two includes a certain cellist-dating S.H.I.E.L.D. agent...

While there was no Diamond Jubilee for Marvel like there was two years ago when the cast of The Avengers was first revealed (remember that, you guys?), it was still "exciting business as usual" with the panel for Iron Man 3, which featured Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle (making penis jokes, according to the AV Club, and that's just delightful, because what better people to watch make penis jokes, really?), and Feige, the head of Marvel Studios. That's where Phase Two was mentioned, and it's pretty straightforward what it's all about: all the sequels to all the Marvel movies that have been made in the last few years. There's Iron Man 3 hitting theaters May 3, 2013, plus Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier (coming April 4, 2012) and Thor 2: The Dark World (November 15, 2013). No real plot details about either of the latter two movies were revealed, but readers of the comics are speculating that the Cap sequel will include the return of Bucky Barnes, who we all saw fall to his death in the first movie. But since Bucky was resurrected as the Winter Soldier in 2005, then it kind of makes sense for people to speculate about something so blatantly obvious.

What did get some special attention was the non-sequel news, specifically new information about Guardians of the Galaxy -- expected to fill the August 1, 2014 slot -- for which Feige provided some concept art (a tease of which appears above; see AV Club for the full picture) as well as one of the characters, the Guardian of the Keystone Quadrant himself, Rocket Raccoon.

Don't be fooled -- just because you have seen a similar creature dead on the side of the road does not mean you should underestimate Rocket's superb marksmanship.

Edgar Wright, who was lying about being in London and not Comic Con while he was totally at Comic Con, also showed his test footage for Ant-Man also showed off his test footage for Ant-Man, which has also been officially confirmed. That video has not hit the web yet (because Wright must be holding a gun to someone's head), but Empire has a blow-by-blow:

It begins with two agents - ominous, shades-wearing - at the end of a long, white corridor. We pull back behind an air vent to reveal... Ant-Man, tiny as they come, sporting a red-and-black suit, with a mask that's a nod to the original Kirby design. ... He then jumps through the vent, runs along the corridor and zaps to normal size. The agents draw their guns. Ant-Man changes back and leaps INTO the mouth of one of the agents, knocking him out. He then grabs the tie of the other and flips him through the window. Agents dealt with, he changes back to normal size, enters an elevator and then zaps back down again.

All we know is that Ant-Man is really, truly happening -- no casting, no release date, basically nothing except precious hope.

Marvel unveils surprise plan to keep making Marvel movies [AV Club]