Michael Douglas Says He Asked Marvel to Kill Off Hank Pym in ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA
Two-time Academy Award-winning actor Michael Douglas has played the character Hank Pym in Marvel’s Ant-Man movies, as well as Avengers: Endgame and the animated series What If…?. He’s done great in the role, but is apparently feeling like his reign in the MCU is ready to wrap up.
The actor went viral last year when he told THR on the Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania red carpet that he would only be interested in returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Hank Pym in a fourth Ant-Man movie “as long as I can die.” It turns out that was actually Douglas’ wish for Quantumania.
Appearing on The View (via Entertainment Weekly) to promote his new Apple TV+ historical drama series Franklin, Douglas revealed that he actually wanted to be killed off from the MCU in the third Ant-Man movie. He even asked for a huge special effects bonanza to help send Hank Pym into the great beyond.
He explained:
“[Getting killed off] actually was my request for the third one. I said I’d like to have a serious [death], with all these great special effects. There’s got to be some fantastic way where I can shrink to an ant size and explode, whatever it is. I want to use all those effects. But, that was on the last one. Now, I don’t think I’m going to show up [for a fourth].”
Marvel has not yet announced its plans for the Ant-Man franchise’s future. The last film did not do as well in the box office or with fans as the first two movies did. So Douglas may just be off the hook.
I personally would like to see another Ant-Man movie starring Paul Rudd, but maybe Hank Pym’s story could come to a close.