Three years removed from his first solo outing, Scott Lang is once again headlining his own superhero blockbuster. However, this time around, he’s not alone, as he’s accompanied by Hope van Dyne in the aptly titled Ant-Man and the Wasp.
While the film isn’t as Easter-egg-heavy as some of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s other offerings, there’s still a handful of fun references to the comic book source material, as well as the greater MCU, that we here at Epicstream felt were absolutely worth calling out.
Obviously, major spoilers are on the horizon, but if that’s not a concern for you, then follow along with us as we break down the seven best Easter eggs from Ant-Man and the Wasp:
The Iron Man 2 Callback
In many fans’ opinions, Iron Man 2 is one of the less favorable additions to the MCU, largely because it plays out like one giant advertisement for The Avengers. However, for as much as it serves to help set up 2012’s superhero ensemble film, there’s also a subtle reference that’s finally paid off in Ant-Man and the Wasp.
At one point in Iron Man 2, Tony asks J.A.R.V.I.S. to retrieve some things from storage, including “everything from Projects PEGASUS, EXODUS, and GOLIATH.” The latter, of course, is the project Bill Foster tells Scott and Hope he spearheaded back when he was working with Hank in their S.H.I.E.L.D. days, which – eight years later – helps bring Tony’s otherwise throwaway line full circle.
The Egghead Nod
Regardless of who’s holding the mantle of Ant-Man, one thing that remains fairly consistent is that the character isn’t really known for having an extensive rogues gallery. Nevertheless, there are a select few super-villains that are tied deeply into the Ant-Man lore, including Ava Starr/Ghost’s father, Dr. Elihas Starr, who’s known in the comics as Egghead.
While he was never an A-list villain, Egghead proved to be a thorn in Ant-Man and the Wasp’s sides on a number of occasions. That the film uses a bald actor to portray Dr. Starr in this incredibly minor role is all the more fitting.
Scott Lang’s New Career
It certainly isn’t easy to find work when you’re a convicted felon. Thankfully, though, Scott and his pals are able to put their thievery skills to good use by forming a security business called X-CON Security Consultants. After all, who knows how to not get your stuff stolen better than the guy who used to steal your stuff?
As it turns out, this premise (and the above slogan) is actually lifted directly from the comics.
In 2015’s Ant-Man #2, by Nick Spencer and Ramon Rosanas, Scott creates Ant-Man Security Solutions in an attempt to realize his dream of owning his own company. Unfortunately, after several setbacks – including Scott’s arrest – the business closed its doors for good.
Setting Up Stature
In both Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp, Scott’s primary motivation for becoming a hero – or at the very least, staying out of prison – is his daughter Cassie. However, in the sequel, it appears that even she’s been bitten by the superhero bug, as she makes it a point on several occasions to express her own desire to suit up alongside her dad.
In the comics, that’s exactly what she does, adopting the identity of Stature and becoming a staple of the Young Avengers. Unlike Scott, though, she doesn’t need any tech to change her size, as years of exposure to Pym Particles actually imbued her with those abilities sans suit.
Agents of Atlas
While Michael Peña’s Luis stole the show in the first Ant-Man, he had a run for his money in the sequel in terms of comic relief, courtesy of Randall Park’s dorky FBI agent, Jimmy Woo.
Longtime comic book readers will likely recognize that name, as Woo – a relatively minor character created in the 1950s – went on to form the ragtag band of heroes known as the Agents of Atlas. Furthermore, the character also served as a member of S.H.I.E.L.D., and his name even showed up as one of the contacts on Melinda May’s cell phone in an episode of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Centurion Tease
Ant-Man and the Wasp’s secondary antagonist Sonny Burch has obscure roots in Marvel Comics history in his own right. However, the one with slightly more prestige in the eyes of comic book fans is the FBI agent he has in his pocket, Geoffrey Ballard.
In the comics, Ballard is a government official who becomes a super-villain and adopts the name Centurion. In addition to serving as a foil for Bill Foster/Goliath, he also had a number of encounters with Tony Stark/Iron Man.
The Infinity War Aftermath
This one is less of an Easter egg and more of a piece of connective tissue in relation to the MCU.
In the film’s mid-credits scene, Scott ventures into the Quantum Realm to harness materials needed to help heal Ghost. While he’s gone, though, we see the deadly effects of Thanos’ Infinity Gauntlet snap claim the lives of Hope, Hank, and Janet, which leaves Scott trapped in the Quantum Realm in the lead-up to Avengers 4.
As Janet points out just before this, though, there are time vortexes in the Quantum Realm, so one can’t help but wonder if this will play a role in the Avengers defeating the Mad Titan without the use of the Time Stone.