Actor Michael Douglas hinted he’s done with the role of Hank Pym following the box office disaster that was Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Michael Douglas as Hank Pym in Marvel Studios’ ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2022 MARVEL.
During an appearance on The View, Michael Douglas shared he wanted to have his character of Hank Pym killed off in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantuamania.
He shared with the panel, “I’d like to have a serious [death], you know, with all these great special effects there’s got to be some kind of fantastic way where I can shrink to ant size and explore. Whatever it is, I want to use all those effects.”
“But that was on the last one,” he added. “Now, I don’t think I’m going to show up.”
Michael Douglas wanted his ‘Ant-Man’ character Hank Pym to be killed off in the Marvel franchise — and he has thoughts on how it should happen! https://t.co/cVclFZQmjA pic.twitter.com/bMpjVDI6wY
— The View (@TheView) April 16, 2024
READ: After Disastrous Box Office Results In 2023, Marvel Reportedly Lays Off Around 15 Employees
Douglas previously detailed on the red carpet for the release of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania that he wanted to be killed off for a potential fourth installment.
The Hollywood Reporter asked, “If you did a fourth, would you come back?”
Douglas answered, “As long as I could die.”
#AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania‘s Michael Douglas talks about his experience with returning back to the franchise pic.twitter.com/GO4Ztc5Tda
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 7, 2023
Douglas’ comments come in the wake of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania bombing at the box office and losing The Walt Disney Company and Marvel Studios tens of millions of dollars.
The film had a reported production budget of $200 million meaning it needed to gross at least $500 million to break even, which factors in the film’s marketing costs as well as the cut that theaters take from the box office grosses.
The film failed to reach that $500 million mark and only grossed $463.6 million globally. The-Numbers also reports its domestic video sales only grossed $4.6 million.
(L-R): Michael Douglas/Hank Pym, Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet Van Dyne, and Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne/Wasp in Marvel Studios’ ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA. Photo by Jay Maidment. © 2022 MARVEL.
It definitely appears that Douglas is done with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He played Hank Pym in three Ant-Man films as well as a cameo in Avengers: Endgame and provided his voice talents for the character in two seasons of the What If…? series.
While it looks like he’s done with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he’s not done acting. He recently appeared as Benjamin Franklin in the Franklin TV mini series, which is available to stream on Apple TV+.
Douglas also has at least two projects in development including a film titled Blood Knot and another TV mini series titled Reagan and Gorbachev. The TV series, which is being developed by Paramount, was announced back in 2020 with Douglas playing Reagan and Christoph Waltz playing Gorbachev as it retells the 1986 Reagan-Gorbachev Summit in Iceland.
(L-R): Michael Douglas as Dr. Hank Pym, Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne/Wasp; Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet Van Dyne/Wasp in Marvel Studios’ ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.
What do you make of Douglas’ comments regarding his future with the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Ant-Man is still a viable character, but dumping his extended family, Cassie, and Wasp would allow the character to reset. I’m tired of the current storyline. It’s quite a bore.