- Primary Subject: Michael Douglas / Hank Pym's fate in the MCU
- Key Update: Michael Douglas revealed he requested that Hank Pym be killed off.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: October 20, 2026
- Quick Answer: Michael Douglas asked Marvel to kill off Hank Pym after the second Ant-Man film, but the studio refused, keeping the character alive.
Michael Douglas recently admitted he asked his MCU character Hank Pym to be killed off, but Marvel refused his request.
The Oscar-winning veteran actor joined the franchise in the first Ant-Man movie. He went on to reprise the role of Hank Pym in the rest of the hero's trilogy as well as in Avengers: Endgame. So far, there are no plans yet to bring back the character in any of the future MCU projects.
Why Michael Douglas Wanted Hank Pym to Be Killed Off
In a recent interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Michael Douglas opened up about his decision to join the MCU in the first Ant-Man movie.
He revealed that he only agreed to do the project to experience filming a "green screen" movie.
"I said, ‘I’ve never done a green screen movie,’" the Oscar winner shared. "I [told] all my agents, ‘I’d like to do one of these green screen movies to see what they’re like,’ you know? Because it’s amazing. It’s nothing, just a green screen, and they show you the pictures of what it’s gonna look like when it’s all finished."
Douglas admitted it was a challenging experience for him, but he enjoyed it because of the people involved. However, he had to return for more projects.
He added, "It’s hard acting, man. It’s coming at you here, this and that, you know… We did Ant-Man and Paul Rudd was a wonderful actor — a lovely group — but then you can’t get out of it."
Douglas wanted his character to be killed off, but Marvel refused to do it. "I would have been killed off after the second one, but they wouldn’t let me," he said.
To this day, Hank Pym is still alive in the MCU, so there is still a way for Douglas to be brought back. But for now, the character has seemingly retired, given that he won't be returning to any of the franchise's future projects.
What to Expect in Avengers: Doomsday
Avengers: Doomsday follows beloved heroes from three distinct universes as they’re set on a deadly collision course and face an existential threat unlike anything they’ve ever encountered.
The star-studded cast includes Robert Downey Jr., Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Sebastian Stan, Paul Rudd, Letitia Wright, Simu Liu, Tom Hiddleston, Winston Duke, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Wyatt Russell, Lewis Pullman, Hannah John-Kamen, Danny Ramirez, Tenoch Huerta Mejía, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Kelsey Grammer, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn, Alan Cumming, Channing Tatum, Hayley Atwell, Kathryn Newton, and Chris Evans.
The film is slated for release in theaters on December 18. It will also be available on Infinity Vision-certified screens.
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