Iron Man Drawing Infinity War

Avengers: Infinity Warfeatures an incredible cast of characters, but one hero is notably missing: Ant-Man. In the movie, it's explained that Ant-Man is under house arrest, but he has no other role in the story. However, he will have his time to shine inAnt-Man and the Wasp this summer.

Now, fans have a theory that Scott Lang will actually be crucial in resolving that cliffhanger ending and defeating Thanos, and this is something his sequel will set up. Here's a look at howAnt-Man and the Waspmay end up being way more important than you'd expect.

Warning: this post will contain spoilers forAvengers: Infinity War.

1. Ant-Man and the Wasp is set beforeInfinity War

Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne/The Wasp (Evangeline Lilly)

Ant-Man and the Wasp takes place before Infinity War. | Marvel Studios

Ant-Man and the Wasphits theaters in July 2019, just a few months afterAvengers: Infinity War. So will the movie follow up on the massive cliffhanger?

Unfortunately, this sequelactually takes place between the events ofCaptain America: Civil War andInfinity War. The main plot is a totally separate adventure that happens before Thanos' now infamous snap. It's possible that there will be a post-credits scene that shows where Ant-Man was during the snap. But the vast majority ofAnt-Man and the Waspis set earlier in the timeline.

However, Marvel consciously chose to release two films after itsInfinity Warcliffhanger, the other being Captain Marvel, which will apparently tie into the Infinity Warpost-credits scene. So it stands to reason that Ant-Man and the Waspalso has some relevance in setting upAvengers 4, and the Russo Brothers have confirmed the movie does tie intoInfinity War.

Fans now have a theory that it will relate to those two Avengersmovies in a big way.

Next: This aspect of theAnt-Man and the Waspplot could be key.

2. It will involve a journey into the Quantum Realm

The Quantum Realm in Ant-Man

The characters will travel to the Quantum Realm in Ant-Man and the Wasp. | Marvel Studios

Ant-Man and the Waspwill involve a journey into the Quantum Realm. This is the dimension that a person enters after they have shrunk down so far that they "go subatomic."

In the first movie, we find out that Hank Pym's wife, Janet Van Dyne, disappeared into this realm, and it appears thatAnt-Man and the Waspwill involve a search for her. Presumably, the characters will be able to successfully find Janet, as Michelle Pfeiffer has been cast in the role.

This could be why Ant-Man and the Wasp don't disappear when Thanos snaps his finger in Infinity War: because they're in the Quantum Realm rescuing Janet when it happens.

Next: How this might play into the larger MCU going forward.

3. The Quantum Realm exists outside of time and space

The Quantum Realm

The Quantum Realm, as seen in Ant-Man | Marvel Studios

So what is the Quantum Realm, exactly? Well, inAnt-Man, Hank Pym refers to it as a place in which "all concepts of time and space become irrelevant." It appears that the Quantum Realm is also one of many alternate dimensions that exist in the MCU.

Doctor Strangefurther developed the idea of an infinite number of universes; The Ancient One tells Strange about a vast multiverse, and he actually visits the Quantum Realm briefly. The existence of an infinite number of universes definitely seems like it would have major implications for the MCU going forward, especially if theAnt-Mancharacters can travel to one of them.

In fact, in an interview with Vanity Fair last fall, Evangeline Lilly suggested as much. "If we do succeed [in entering the Quantum Realm] inAnt-Man and the Wasp, then that does open a whole entire new multi-verse to enter into and play around in," she said.

Agents of SHIELDhas previously referenced the multiverse as well. That means that the idea of parallel dimensions has come up in three separate MCU properties over the past few years, which has to be significant.

Next: The big reason to believe that Ant-Man has a key role inAvengers 4.

4. Set photos forAvengers 4show Ant-Man at the Battle of New York

Although Ant-Man had no role inInfinity War, we know that he is significant to the plot ofAvengers 4. After all, just take a look at some of the set photos which were leaked last fall. They show the Avengers at the Battle of New York from The Avengers.

But what's especially fascinating is that Ant-Man is there. That obviously means this isn't a flashback since Scott Lang had not become Ant-Man yet at this point in the timeline. It's also not just Ant-Man that's out of place here. Tony Stark is also wearing a SHIELD uniform.

In addition, what's especially notable about those set photos is that all of the Avengers appear to be wearing some sort of device on their wrists, with Ant-Man's seeming to be built into his suit.

Next: The big theory about how Ant-Man will help save the fallen heroes.

5. Does Ant-Man discover the ability to travel to alternate dimensions?

Paul Rudd in Ant-Man

Will Ant-Man be able to travel to different dimensions? | Marvel Studios

This has all led fans to a theory: InAnt-Man and the Wasp, Ant-Man is going to discover the ability to travel to alternate dimensions. That's not that far-fetched when you consider the fact that the Quantum Realm already is another dimension, and Doctor Strangeestablished the concept of the multiverse. Plus, Disney CEO Bob Iger has said that the Marvel movies will begin to look at "different realms" going forward.

So one idea is that inAnt-Man and the Wasp, Scott Lang and Hank Pym will travel to the Quantum Realm in order to find Janet. However, in doing so, they will discover that the Quantum Realm actually opens up doorways for traveling to alternate universes.

From there, Hank Pym can create some sort of device that allows its user to travel to other dimensions, and that could be what the Avengers seem to be using in those set photos fromAvengers 4.

Next: Based on this theory, this would be the plot ofAvengers 4.

6. The Avengers might travel to other dimensions to get the Infinity Stones inAvengers 4

The six Infinity Stones in Guardians of the Galaxy.

The Avengers will need to find the six Infinity Stones. | Marvel Studios

If Hank Pym is able to create a device that allows for travel to alternate dimensions, this could be the way that the Avengers defeat Thanos.

In the leaked set photos fromAvengers 4, the characters are at the Battle of New York; you'll recall that Loki used the Space Stone here in order to open up a portal and allow the Chitauri to come to Earth. He also had the Mind Stone in his Scepter. So if you were trying to collect Infinity Stones, this would be a great place to go.

Perhaps, then, the Avengers must travel to alternate dimensions to collect "alternate" Infinity Stones, using them to assemble a gauntlet of their own which they can use to defeat Thanos and undo the effects of his snap.

Another theory is that Hank Pym will discover the ability to time travel thanks to his research into the Quantum Realm. This would result in a similar film, only with the Avengers traveling back in time to get the stones rather than to other dimensions.

Next:This could all help explain what happened to those characters at the end ofInfinity War.

7. The characters who disappeared may be in an alternate universe

Iron Man Tony Stark in Avengers: Infinity War

Tony Stark in Infinity War | Marvel

Another view on all of this is that when Thanos snapped his fingers at the end ofInfinity War, he didn't actually make half of all life in the universe cease to exist. Rather, Thanos actually created another dimension.

At the end of the movie, then, we're in the original dimension with all of the surviving Avengers. But everyone who disappeared actually just got transported into another dimension — one of the many that exist in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

If that's the case, Ant-Man would definitely be key toAvengers 4, since he's the only one who might be able to help the Avengers cross from one dimension into the other to save their friends.

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