Evangeline Lilly returns to her role of brilliant quantum physicist Hope van Dyne. While she’s as focused and determined as ever, a very different Hope van Dyne emerges in Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man and The Wasp.”
Now a fugitive with her father, Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), the brilliant scientist has used her time in hiding to master her new role as The Wasp, but she isn’t quite ready to team up with Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) for their most important mission ever. But reuniting her family depends on it, so she is forced to seek his help.
Lilly was over the moon knowing that the next installment of the “Ant-Man” story line would introduce The Wasp. “I was excited to play Hope again for so many reasons,” comments Lilly. “In ‘Ant-Man’ she went through this enormous emotional arc. So it was exciting to have the chance to go back to this character and play her in a new space, a space where she is more at ease in her own skin and more at ease in her relationship with her father.”
“But I have to admit,” she adds with a laugh, “my primary motivation to come back was to put on that suit and play The Wasp. Hope so desperately wanted to follow in the footsteps of her incredible superhero parents, so she’s finally doing that and doing it very well.”
The actress was also enthusiastic to return to the “Ant-Man” family to collaborate with Peyton Reed again. For Lilly, there is no better champion to helm the next chapter in the “Ant-Man” saga. “There’s really nobody better to navigate through this second journey with than Peyton Reed,” says Lilly. “The scope of this film is so much bigger than the first film. It feels a little more epic, which is exciting, but also what’s wonderful is we never lose that sweet family-driven story that’s at the heart of it all. That’s what I love the most about the Ant-Man brand, and it’s something you can expect again from ‘Ant-Man and The Wasp.’”
As Lilly prepared for her return to the role, she knew the physical preparation for The Wasp action sequences would be vital to building the character. More importantly, she understood that the new backstory for Hope, the Super Hero, would wholly inform that relationship between Hope and Scott, which is the bedrock to the “Ant-Man and The Wasp” story line.
Remarks Lilly, “The relationship between Hope and Scott in ‘Ant-Man’ was really straightforward, and as an actress I always knew very clearly where things stood. Hope couldn’t stand him for the majority of the film and then eventually realized he’s okay. ‘Ant-Man and The Wasp’ is a bit complicated, and a lot more challenging to know how exactly to hit the tone of their relationship. Hope just lives to be The Wasp but definitely harbors feelings of anger, hurt and resentment when Scott made the choice to go to Berlin without her. That’s the hardest thing for her to swallow, but she’s got this mission and she’s really focused on her mother, so the stakes are so high.”
The fun-filled “Ant-Man and The Wasp,” with its signature out-of-this-world action and laugh-out-loud comedy, flies into Philippine cinemas July 4, 2018.
