Marvel’s latest film isn’t exactly making a splash. Early reactions to “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” have highlighted the flaws of the film, as the Rotten Tomato rating floats at 53%. One reviewer called it a filler episode, while another said the lack of freshness is a result of the paper-thin plot. It’s worth noting that Jonathan Majors received plenty of praise for his performance.
But a bad review doesn’t stop fans from watching the film in droves — after all, there is a chronological sequence to keep up with. For those viewers who need a quick refresher on Ant-Man, played by Paul Rudd, fret not. Instead of watching all 30 Marvel movies, and the adjacent television shows, here is a short list of movies and one show to watch to be (mostly) caught up before the third “Ant-Man” installment’s release on Feb. 17.
What to watch before ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’?
These movies matter most when watching “Quantumania,” according to Polygon. Everything on the list is available to watch on Disney+.
- “Ant-Man” (2015): This is the origin story of Scott Lang, a former engineer who served time in prison. Directed by Peyton Reed, the story follows Lang as he finds a strange suit, made by Dr. Hank Pym, that gives him the ability to shrink himself. After much struggle, Lang embraces his inner hero.
Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence.
- “Ant-Man and the Wasp” (2018): Set after “Captian America: Civil War,” Lang is walking a tightrope, balancing his hero-related duties with another tough job — fatherhood. Pym and his wife, Hope van Dyne, another scientist, recruit him for another mission that requires reaching the quantum realm.
Rated PG-13 for some sci-fi action violence.
- “Avengers: Endgame” (2019): Thanos snapped his fingers to destroy the Infinity Stones after wiping out half of all life. The Avengers are left to pick up the pieces when Lang shows up with an interesting solution — time travel — as a last resort. Plus, it’s funny watching Ant-Man explain quantum physics to Captain America and Black Widow.
Rated PG-13 sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and some language.
Additionally, there is an episode from a Marvel show that is worth checking out.
- “Loki” Season 1, Episode 6 (2021): The last episode of the series introduces Jonathan Majors, the villain of “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.” As I previously reported, the evil mastermind is originally from the 31st century.
Rated TV-14 for violence and gore, sex and nudity, and some profanity. Meanwhile, “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” is rated PG-13 for violence, action and strong language.