It's been a 2-year wait, and Ant-Man is finally returning to the big screen this week in Ant-Man and the Wasp! Set two years after what happened in Captain America: Civil War, Ant-Man and the Wasp centers on the story of Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) who is on house arrest, trying to balance his duties as a father and as Ant-Man.
When a new mission is presented to him, Scott must then team up with a new superhero who would help him bring light to the secrets of their past. That superhero being Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) who is now the new Wasp.
Before you head over to the cinemas today, here are some things you should know about the newest Marvel superhero!
1. Hope Van Dyne isn't the first Wasp
Her mother, Janet Van Dyne is! Portrayed by Michelle Pfeiffer, the original Wasp is said to be one of the founding members of the Avengers in the comics and was also the one to have come up with the name we now know today. Unfortunately, she gets lost in a subatomic spacial void called the Quantum Realm to save Hank Pym and the rest of the city.
2. Her dad, Hank Pym, initially didn't want Hope to be the Wasp
After what had happened with her mother, Hope's relationship with her father became more distant. Because he became more protective of her so she doesn't end up in danger and lose her like her mother, he sends her to a boarding school where she learned and mastered Martial Arts.
It was in the first Ant-Man that she had learned the real reason why Janet Van Dyne had died, and how she sacrificed herself to save the city from a missile. He then gives her the Wasp suit, giving Marvel fans the hint that she is now taking over her mother's role and joining Ant-Man in his next mission!
3. She was the one who trained Scott Lang
Ant-Man and the Wasp won’t be the first time we see Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne teaming up. In Ant-Man, Hope trained Scott how to fight in the suit. Things didn’t start out so well between the two but Scott eventually mastered working the Ant-Man suit all thanks to Hope’s training.
4. She uses Pym Particles to alter her size (just like Ant-Man!)
Wasp’s suit will also be using Pym Particles, allowing her to shrink and/or return to her normal size as she pleases. Evangeline Lilly also explained in an interview that her suit is an upgrade from Scott's suit. All she has to do is to think about it, and her suit can make her shrink and grow, even activate wings and blasters!
Hope is also skilled in the Martial Arts like Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, and Aikido – all skills that are particularly useful when battling opponents.
5. She is Marvel's first female titular superhero
Sure, she shares billing with Ant-Man, but being a titular character speaks volumes about how significant her role is in the MCU! Hope Van Dyne is finally ready to be the superhero that she is meant to be, and be on equal footing as Ant-Man. Here's hoping we will be seeing more of her in the upcoming Marvel films, right?
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Catch Evangeline Lilly's Wasp as Ant-Man and the Wasp premieres in Philippine cinemas today! For screening schedule, you may check out this link.
