After Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania failed to meet expectations, Paul Rudd’s MCU future should not be in Ant-Man 4, but a bigger project.

While Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang could return in a possible Ant-Man 4, that would not be his best Marvel Cinematic Universe future. Rudd has joined the pantheon of MCU actors who have led a trilogy; however, his third movie left the character’s franchise in a bad place. While it was expected to sit among the best MCU movies due to the arrival of Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania ended up falling short of expectations with critics and audiences alike.

A large factor of that was how Kang was seemingly killed so easily in his first MCU appearance, and with Majors’ firing as Kang, the status of the third Ant-Man movie has become even more dire. That has led to a lot of speculation over what kind of future Rudd’s Scott Lang could have in the MCU. While Ant-Man 4 happening is always a possibility, some recent MCU developments seem to point to another — bigger — direction for the character’s next adventure.

Why Ant-Man 4 Isn’t Likely To Happen

The MCU Is Focusing On A New Direction

Recently, Rudd was asked by Dexerto (via @screentime/Twitter) about what Ant-Man’s MCU future could hold.

Rudd revealed that he has no idea about when Ant-Man will return to the MCU, not touching on a possible Ant-Man 4. While Scott Lang is a charismatic character and an MCU fan-favorite, after a disappointing third movie, it is unlikely that Rudd will come back to lead another solo project as the hero. Adding to that, Marvel Studios is now on a new path that makes Ant-Man 4 becoming a reality even more difficult.

Disney CEO Bob Iger has confirmed a Marvel slowdown is in effect, with the studio set to develop fewer projects and focus on their strongest franchises and characters for the foreseeable future. With the latest Ant-Man movie not being the resounding success Marvel expected it to be, it is unlikely that the character will get another solo movie, with Marvel’s focus shifting to some of their biggest players. However, that does not mean that Ant-Man could not return as part of the MCU’s most successful franchise.

Why Ant-Man’s Best MCU Future Lies In Avengers 5 & 6

Scott Lang Can Help The Avengers In A Major Way

Rudd’s Ant-Man was one of the standout characters in Avengers: Endgame, the MCU’s biggest movie ever, making his return for the upcoming two Avengers movies — The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars — likely. Adding to that, Ant-Man would be an invaluable member for the team due to his experience of beating Kang the Conqueror. As the Avengers should face the Council of Kangs in their next MCU movie, Scott Lang will be a great ally to have. Scott’s death as a sacrifice in one of the Avengers movies would also bring his story full circle without the need for Ant-Man 4.