Actors Evangeline Lilly (L) and Paul Rudd attend Marvel's Hall H Panel for 'Ant-Man' during Comic-Con International 2014 at San Diego Convention Center. (Photo : Getty Images/Alberto E. Rodriguez)
When Academy Award-winning actor Michael Douglas went on board, the Marvel Cinematic Universe train only signed him up to appear in one movie, unlike most actors whose contract to appear in several movies. However, Douglas has been confirmed to reprise his role as Hank Pym in "Ant-Man and the Wasp."
Douglas himself confirmed his return on his Facebook account, adding that it is time to "start growing the goatee." Douglas will return together with Paul Rudd, Michael Pena and Evangeline Lilly, who will suit up as The Wasp.
The actor's return to the MCU, however, was previously hinted in a past interview with Collider in 2015. "I just got a call recently and they wanted to negotiate for a sequel. I thought, "That's great!" Hopefully, I won't have to carry quite as much exposition and dialogue as the first one, but I had a wonderful time doing it, just a great, great time," Douglas said at the time.
Filming for "Ant-Man and the Wasp" will begin this July, with a target release date of July 6, 2018. Peyton Reed will return to direct "Ant-Man and the Wasp."
Meanwhile, "Ant-Man and the Wasp" will delve deeper into what happened to Janet Van Dyne after went subatomic. She was presumed dead by her husband until Paul Rudd's Ant-Man/Scott Lang became living proof that it is possible to return to normal size even after one goes deeply subatomic.
According to Cinema Blend, there have been rumors that Sharon Stones would play Janet in the sequel. Her rumored casting has caused quite a buzz among fans, especially since Stone and Douglas paired up in the sexy thriller "Basic Instinct."
"Ant-Man and the Wasp" will follow Scott Lang after the events in "Captain America: Civil War." Towards the end of "Civil War," Scott was imprisoned in a high-security government facility together with other heroes on Team Cap, including Hawkeye/Clint Barton and Falcon/Sam Wilson. It is presumed that Captain America/Steve Rogers will plot their rescue. The "Ant-Man" sequel will pick up from this point, and Scott is once again a fugitive from the law for his actions in "Civil War."
