The conqueror is here. With Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opening in just few weeks, it’s time for the mighty Marvel machine to start promotion for the next cog in its ever-churning engine. Phase 5 of the MCU officially begins, with the February 17 release of Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, which, as a new trailer confirms, introduces Jonathan Majors’ deadly Kang the Conqueror, a classic Marvel villain first introduced in the comics nearly 60 years ago. Although, wait a second, haven’t we seen Kang already?
Technically. Those keeping up with the MCU on Disney+ will remember that Majors appears in the first season finale of Loki as “He Who Remains.” While it’s never officially stated that Majors is Kang, he mentions he’s had a few different titles over his tenure, including “conqueror.” Critically, Loki ends up fracturing the MCU’s timeline, allowing the entrance of more dangerous versions of Kang to enter. That’s likely why the Ant-family (which now includes a grown-up version of Scott’s daughter Cassie, played by Kathryn Newton) comes across a new Kang.
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Clad in his comic-accurate purple and green armor, and with a massive army at his back, Quantumania’s version of Kang is likely the version of the Conqueror who first debuted in Avengers #8 back in 1964. That distinction is crucial; Kang is an Avengers-level threat who travels throughout time while leveraging technology from the future to dominate the past. How and why he’s in the Quantum Realm is unclear, but based on Janet’s (Michelle Pfeiffer) palpable fear, she seems to know that he was always a lingering threat. Speaking of the Quantum Realm, director Peyton Reed is going all in on making this third Ant-Man movie a visual treat, showcasing the surreality of this unknown world. Little details stick out, including a swirling sky reminiscent of deep space photographs, a bar with patrons that wouldn’t be out of place in a Star Wars film, Bill Murray, and even a spaghettified version of Ant-Man himself.
Quantumania is just an aperitif for one of Marvel Comics’ biggest foes; Majors will return in the next Avengers movie, The Kang Dynasty. Judging by this brief glimpse of footage, Ant-Man and the MCU will soon have their work cut out for them.