document_title: Constitutional monarchy

question_text: when did england change to a constitutional monarchy

text: Constitutional monarchy

text: History[edit]

text: The oldest constitutional monarchy dating back to ancient times was that of the Hittites. They were an ancient Anatolian people that lived during the Bronze Age whose king or queen had to share their authority with an assembly, called the Panku, which was the equivalent to a modern-day deliberative assembly or a legislature. Members of the Panku came from scattered noble families who worked as representatives of their subjects in an adjutant or subaltern federal-type landscape.[4][5]

text: The most recent[update] country to move from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy was Bhutan, between 2007 and 2008 (see Politics of Bhutan, Constitution of Bhutan and Bhutanese democracy).

text: Constitutional and absolute monarchy[edit]

text: England and the United Kingdom[edit]

text: In the Kingdom of England, the Glorious Revolution of 1688 led to a constitutional monarchy restricted by laws such as the Bill of Rights 1689 and the Act of Settlement 1701, although limits on the power of the monarch ('a limited monarchy') are much older than that (see Magna Carta). At the same time, in Scotland the Convention of Estates enacted the Claim of Right Act 1689, which placed similar limits on the Scottish monarchy.

text: Although Queen Anne was the last monarch to veto an Act of Parliament when on 11 March 1708  she blocked the Scottish Militia Bill, Hanoverian monarchs continued to selectively dictate government policies.  For instance George III constantly blocked Catholic Emancipation, eventually precipitating the resignation of William Pitt the Younger as Prime Minister in 1801.[6] The sovereign's influence on the choice of Prime Minister gradually declined over this period, William IV being the last monarch to dismiss a Prime Minister, when in 1834 he removed Lord Melbourne as a result of Melbourne's choice of Lord John Russell as Leader of the House of Commons.[7][8] Queen Victoria was the last monarch to exercise real personal power but this diminished over the course of her reign.  In 1839 she became the last sovereign to keep a Prime Minister in power against the will of Parliament when the Bedchamber crisis resulted in the retention of Lord Melbourne's administration.[9]  By the end of her reign, however, she could do nothing to block the unacceptable (to her) premierships of William Gladstone, although she still exercised power in appointments to the Cabinet, for example in 1886 preventing Gladstone's choice of Hugh Childers as War Secretary in favor of Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman.[10]

text: Today, the role of the British monarch is by convention effectively ceremonial.[11] Instead, the British Parliament and the Government – chiefly in the office of Prime Minister – exercise their powers under 'Royal (or Crown) Prerogative': on behalf of the monarch and through powers still formally possessed by the Monarch.[12][13]

text: No person may accept significant public office without swearing an oath of allegiance to the Queen.[14] With few exceptions, the monarch is bound by constitutional convention to act on the advice of the Government.

text: Continental Europe[edit]

text: Constitutional monarchy originated in continental Europe, with Poland developing the first constitution for a monarchy with the Constitution of May 3, 1791; it was the third constitution in the world just after the first republican Constitution of the United States. Constitutional monarchy also occurred briefly in the early years of the French Revolution, but much more widely afterwards. Napoleon Bonaparte is considered the first monarch proclaiming himself as an embodiment of the nation, rather than as a divinely-appointed ruler; this interpretation of monarchy is germane to continental constitutional monarchies. German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, in his work Elements of the Philosophy of Right (1820), gave the concept a philosophical justification that concurred with evolving contemporary political theory and the Protestant Christian view of natural law.[15] Hegel's forecast of a constitutional monarch with very limited powers whose function is to embody the national character and provide constitutional continuity in times of emergency was reflected in the development of constitutional monarchies in Europe and Japan.[15]

text: Modern constitutional monarchy[edit]

text: As originally conceived, a constitutional monarch was head of the executive branch and quite a powerful figure even though his or her power was limited by the constitution and the elected parliament. Some of the framers of the U.S. Constitution may have envisioned the president as an elected constitutional monarch, as the term was then understood, following Montesquieu's account of the separation of powers.[16]

text: The present-day concept of a constitutional monarchy developed in the United Kingdom, where the democratically elected parliaments, and their leader, the prime minister, exercise power, with the monarchs having ceded power and remaining as a titular position. In many cases the monarchs, while still at the very top of the political and social hierarchy, were given the status of "servants of the people" to reflect the new, egalitarian position. In the course of France's July Monarchy, Louis-Philippe I was styled "King of the French" rather than "King of France."

text: Following the Unification of Germany, Otto von Bismarck rejected the British model. In the constitutional monarchy established under the Constitution of the German Empire which Bismarck inspired, the Kaiser retained considerable actual executive power, while the Imperial Chancellor needed no parliamentary vote of confidence and ruled solely by the imperial mandate. However this model of constitutional monarchy was discredited and abolished following Germany's defeat in the First World War. Later, Fascist Italy could also be considered as a constitutional monarchy, in that there was a king as the titular head of state while actual power was held by Benito Mussolini under a constitution. This eventually discredited the Italian monarchy and led to its abolition in 1946. After the Second World War, surviving European monarchies almost invariably adopted some variant of the constitutional monarchy model originally developed in Britain.

text: Nowadays a parliamentary democracy that is a constitutional monarchy is considered to differ from one that is a republic only in detail rather than in substance. In both cases, the titular head of state—monarch or president—serves the traditional role of embodying and representing the nation, while the government is carried on by a cabinet composed predominantly of elected Members of Parliament.

text: However, three important factors distinguish monarchies such as the United Kingdom from systems where greater power might otherwise rest with Parliament. These are: the Royal Prerogative under which the monarch may exercise power under certain very limited circumstances; Sovereign Immunity under which the monarch may do no wrong under the law because the responsible government is instead deemed accountable; and the monarch may not be subject to the same taxation or property use restrictions as most citizens. Other privileges may be nominal or ceremonial (e.g., where the executive, judiciary, police or armed forces act on the authority of or owe allegiance to the Crown).

text: Today slightly more than a quarter of constitutional monarchies are Western European countries, including the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Denmark, Luxembourg, Monaco, Liechtenstein and Sweden. However, the two most populous constitutional monarchies in the world are in Asia: Japan and Thailand.  In these countries the prime minister holds the day-to-day powers of governance, while the monarch retains residual (but not always insignificant) powers. The powers of the monarch differ between countries. In Denmark and in Belgium, for example, the Monarch formally appoints a representative to preside over the creation of a coalition government following a parliamentary election, while in Norway the King chairs special meetings of the cabinet.

text: In nearly all cases, the monarch is still the nominal chief executive, but is bound by convention to act on the advice of the Cabinet. Only a few monarchies (most notably Japan and Sweden) have amended their constitutions so that the monarch is no longer even the nominal chief executive.

text: There are sixteen constitutional monarchies under Queen Elizabeth II, which are known as Commonwealth realms.[17] Unlike some of their continental European counterparts, the Monarch and her Governors-General in the Commonwealth realms hold significant "reserve" or "prerogative" powers, to be wielded in times of extreme emergency or constitutional crises, usually to uphold parliamentary government. An instance of a Governor-General exercising such power occurred during the 1975 Australian constitutional crisis, when the Australian Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, was dismissed by the Governor-General. The Australian senate had threatened to block the Government's budget by refusing to pass the necessary appropriation bills. On November 11, 1975, Whitlam intended to call a half-Senate election in an attempt to break the deadlock. When he sought the Governor-General's approval of the election, the Governor-General instead dismissed him as Prime Minister, and shortly thereafter installed leader of the opposition Malcolm Fraser in his place. Acting quickly before all parliamentarians became aware of the change of government, Fraser and his allies secured passage of the appropriation bills, and the Governor-General dissolved Parliament for a double dissolution election. Fraser and his government were returned with a massive majority. This led to much speculation among Whitlam's supporters as to whether this use of the Governor-General's reserve powers was appropriate, and whether Australia should become a republic. Among supporters of constitutional monarchy, however, the experience confirmed the value of the monarchy as a source of checks and balances against elected politicians who might seek powers in excess of those conferred by the constitution, and ultimately as a safeguard against dictatorship.

text: In Thailand's constitutional monarchy, the monarch is recognized as the Head of State, Head of the Armed Forces, Upholder of the Buddhist Religion, and Defender of the Faith. The former King, Bhumibol Adulyadej, was the longest reigning monarch in the world and in all of Thailand's history, prior to passing away on 13 October 2016.[18] Bhumibol has reigned through several political changes in the Thai government. He has played an influential role in each incident, often acting as mediator between disputing political opponents. (See Bhumibol's role in Thai Politics.) Among the powers retained by the monarch under the constitution, lèse majesté protects the image of the monarch and enables him to play a role in politics. It carries strict criminal penalties for violators. Generally, the Thai people are reverent of Bhumibol. Much of his social influence arises from this reverence and from the socio-economic improvement efforts undertaken by the royal family.

text: In the United Kingdom, a frequent debate centers on when it is appropriate for a monarch to act. When a monarch does act, political controversy can often ensue, partially because the neutrality of the crown is seen to be compromised in favor of a partisan goal, while some political scientists champion the idea of an "interventionist monarch" as a check against possible illegal action by politicians.  For instance, the monarch of the United Kingdom can theoretically exercise an absolute veto over legislation by withholding royal assent.  However, no monarch has done so since 1708, and it is widely believed that this and many of the monarch's other political powers are lapsed powers.

text: There are currently 43 monarchies worldwide.

text: List of current constitutional monarchies[edit]

text:
Antigua and Barbuda
 Australia
 Bahamas
 Bahrain
 Barbados
 Belgium
 Belize
 Bhutan
 Cambodia
 Canada
 Denmark
 Grenada
 Jamaica
 Japan
 Jordan
 Kuwait
 Lesotho
 Liechtenstein
 Luxembourg
 Malaysia
 Monaco
 Morocco
 Netherlands
 New Zealand
 Norway
 Papua New Guinea
 Saint Kitts and Nevis
 Saint Lucia
 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
 Solomon Islands
 Spain
 Sweden
 Thailand
 Tonga
 Tuvalu
 United Kingdom

text: Former constitutional monarchies[edit]

text: This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text:
The Anglo-Corsican Kingdom was a brief period in the history of Corsica (1794–1796) when the island broke with Revolutionary France and sought military protection from Great Britain. Corsica became an independent kingdom under George III of the United Kingdom, but with its own elected parliament and a written constitution guaranteeing local autonomy and democratic rights.
Brazil from 1822, with the proclamation of independence and rise of the Empire of Brazil by Pedro I of Brazil to 1889, when Pedro II was deposed by a military coup.
Kingdom of Bulgaria until 1946 when Tsar Simeon was deposed by the communist assembly.
Many Commonwealth republics were constitutional monarchies for some period after their independence, including Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Fiji (1970–87), Gambia (1965–70), Ghana (1957–60), Guyana (1966–70), and Trinidad and Tobago (1962–76).
The Grand Principality of Finland was a constitutional monarchy though its ruler, Alexander I, was simultaneously an autocrat and absolute ruler in Russia.
France, several times during the 19th century. Napoléon Bonaparte proclaimed himself Emperor of the French in what was ostensibly a constitutional monarchy, though modern historians often call his reign as an absolute monarchy.[citation needed] The Bourbon Restoration (under Louis XVIII and Charles X), the July Monarchy (under Louis-Philippe), and the Second Empire (under Napoleon III) were also constitutional monarchies, although the power of the monarch varied considerably between them.
The German Empire from 1871 to 1918, (as well as earlier confederations, and the monarchies it consisted of) was also a constitutional monarchy—see Constitution of the German Empire.
Greece until 1973 when Constantine II was deposed by the military government. The decision was formalized by a plebiscite December 8, 1974.
Hawaii, which was an absolute monarchy from its founding in 1810, transitioned to a constitutional monarchy in 1840 when King Kamehameha III promulgated the kingdom's first constitution. This constitutional form of government continued until the monarchy was overthrown in an 1893 coup.
The Kingdom of Hungary. In 1848–1849 and 1867–1918 as part of Austria-Hungary. In the interwar period (1920–1944) Hungary remained a constitutional monarchy without a reigning monarch.
Iceland. The Act of Union, a December 1, 1918 agreement with Denmark, established Iceland as a sovereign kingdom united with Denmark under a common king. Iceland abolished the monarchy and became a republic on June 17, 1944 after the Icelandic constitutional referendum, May 24, 1944.
Iran under Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi was a constitutional monarchy, which had been originally established during the Persian Constitutional Revolution in 1906.
Italy until June 2, 1946, when a referendum proclaimed the end of the Kingdom and the beginning of the Republic.
Korean Empire[citation needed] proclaimed in October 1897 to the Annexation of Korea by Japan on August 20, 1910. It succeeded the Joseon Dynasty.
The Kingdom of Laos was a constitutional monarchy until 1975, when Sisavang Vatthana was forced to abdicate by the communist Pathet Lao.
Malta was a constitutional monarchy with Elizabeth II as Queen of Malta, represented by a Governor-General appointed by her, for the first ten years of independence from 21 September 1964 to the declaration of the Republic of Malta on 13 December 1974.
Mexico was twice an Empire. The First Mexican Empire was from July 21, 1822, to March 19, 1823, with Agustín de Iturbide serving as emperor. Then, with the help of the Austrian and Spanish crowns, Napoleon III of France installed Maximilian of Habsburg as Emperor of Mexico. This attempt to create a European-style monarchy lasted three years, from 1864 to 1867.
Montenegro until 1918 when it merged with Serbia and other areas to form Yugoslavia.
Nepal until May 28, 2008, when King Gyanendra was deposed, and the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal was declared.
Ottoman Empire from 1876 until 1878 and again from 1908 until the dissolution of the empire in 1922.
The Kingdom of Afghanistan was a constitutional monarchy under Mohammad Zahir Shah until 1973.
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, formed after the Union of Lublin in 1569 and lasting until the final partition of the state in 1795, operated much like many modern European constitutional monarchies (into which it was officially changed by the establishment of the Constitution of May 3, 1791, which historian Norman Davies calls "the first constitution of its kind in Europe").[19] The legislators of the unified state truly did not see it as a monarchy at all, but as a republic under the presidency of the King. Poland–Lithuania also followed the principle of "Rex regnat et non gubernat", had a bicameral parliament, and a collection of entrenched legal documents amounting to a constitution along the lines of the modern United Kingdom. The King was elected, and had the duty of maintaining the people's rights.
Kingdom of Albania from 1928 until 1939, Albania was a Constitutional Monarchy ruled by the House of Zogu, King Zog I.
Portugal was a monarchy since 1139 and a constitutional monarchy from 1822 to 1828, and again from 1834 until 1910, when Manuel II was overthrown by a military coup. From 1815 to 1825 it was part of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves which was a constitutional monarchy for the years 1820–23.
Kingdom of Romania From its establishment in 1881 until 1947 when Michael I was forced to abdicate by the communists.
Kingdom of Serbia until 1918, when it merged with the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs into the unitary Yugoslav Kingdom, that was led by the Serbian Karadjordjevic dynasty.
Yugoslavia from 1918 (as Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes) until 1929 and from then (as Kingdom of Yugoslavia) until 1944 when under pressure from the Allies Peter II recognized the communist government.

text: Unique constitutional monarchies[edit]

text:
Andorra is the only monarchy where the head of state is vested jointly in two individuals ("Co-Princes"): the Bishop of Urgell and the President of France.
Andorra, Monaco and Liechtenstein are the only countries with a reigning Prince.
Belgium is the only explicit popular monarchy, the formal title of its King being King of the Belgians rather than King of Belgium.
Luxembourg is the only country with a Grand Duke.
Malaysia is the only federal country with an elective monarchy, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, being selected from among nine state rulers who are also constitutional monarchs themselves.


document_title: Department of Police (South Africa)

question_text: who is the minister of saps in south africa

root

text: Department of Police (South Africa)

text:
Department of Police

List[show]

10 other official names:
Sekretariaat vir Veiligheid en Sekuriteit  (Afrikaans)
IPhiko lezokuPhepha nokuVikeleka  (Southern Ndebele)
ICandelo loLawulo lwezoKhuselo noKhuseleko  (Xhosa)
Uphiko lwezokuPhepha nokuVikeleka  (Zulu)
Libandla leTekuphepha nekuVikeleka  (Swati)
Lekala la Polokego le Tshireletsfo  (Northern Sotho)
Lekala la tsa Polokeho le Tshireletso  (Sotho)
Lefapha la Botsamaisi jwa Tshireletso le Pabalesego  (Tswana)
Huvo ya Vusirheleleki na Vuhlayisek  (Tsonga)
Vhueletshedzi ha zwa Vhudziki na Tsireledzo  (Venda)

Department overview

Jurisdiction
Government of South Africa

Ministers responsible

Fikile Mbalula, Minister of Police
Bongani Michael Mkongi, Deputy Minister of Police

Department executive

, Director-General: Police

tag: table

text: The Department of Police (formerly known as the Secretariat for Safety and Security) is one of the departments of the South African government. It oversees the South African Police Service and the Independent Complaints Directorate. The current Minister of Police is Fikile Mbalula who replaced Nkosinathi Nhleko in March 2017.

tag: p


document_title: Ant-Man and the Wasp

question_text: who does michelle pfeiffer play in ant man

text: Ant-Man and the Wasp

text: Plot[edit]

text: Two years after Scott Lang was placed on house arrest because of his role in skirmishes between the Avengers in violation of the Sokovia Accords,[N 1] Hank Pym and his daughter Hope van Dyne briefly manage to open a tunnel to the quantum realm, where they believe Pym's wife Janet van Dyne might be trapped after shrinking to sub-atomic levels in 1987. Because he also visited the quantum realm, Lang is now quantumly entangled with Janet and receives an apparent message from her.

text: With only days left of house arrest, Lang sends a message to Pym about this despite the strained relationship they have due to Lang's actions with the Avengers. Soon after, Hope and Pym kidnap Lang, leaving a decoy so as not to arouse suspicion from FBI agent Jimmy Woo. Seeing the message as confirmation that Janet is alive, the trio work to create a stable tunnel so they can take a vehicle to the quantum realm and retrieve her. They arrange to buy a part needed for the tunnel from black market dealer Sonny Burch, who it turns out has realized the potential profit that can be earned from Pym's research and double-crosses them. Donning the Wasp outfit, Hope fights Burch and his men off until she is attacked by a quantumly unstable masked woman. Lang tries to help fight off this "ghost", but she escapes with Pym's lab, which has been shrunk down to the size and usefulness of carry-on luggage.

text: The three reluctantly visit Pym's estranged former partner Bill Foster who helps them locate the lab. The ghost restrains Lang, Hope, and Pym when they arrive and reveals herself to be Ava Starr. Her father Elihas, another former partner of Pym's, accidentally killed himself and his wife during a quantum experiment that caused Ava's unstable state. Foster reveals that he has been helping Ava, whom they plan to cure using Janet's quantum energy. Believing that this will kill Janet, Pym refuses to help them and the trio escape.

text: Opening a stable version of the tunnel this time, the three are able to contact Janet, who gives them a precise location to find her but warns that they only have two hours before the unstable nature of the realm separates them for a century. Burch learns their location from Lang's business partners Luis, Dave, and Kurt, and informs a contact at the FBI. Luis warns Lang, who rushes home before Woo can see him violating his house arrest. This leaves Pym and Hope to be arrested, allowing Ava to take their lab.

text: Lang is soon able to help Pym and Hope escape custody, and they find the lab. Lang and Hope distract Ava while Pym enters the quantum realm to retrieve Janet, but the pair end up fighting Burch and his men, which allows Ava to begin taking Janet's energy. Luis, Dave, and Kurt help incapacitate Burch and his men so that Lang and Hope can stop Ava. Pym and Janet arrive safely from the quantum realm and Janet voluntarily gifts some of her energy to Ava to temporarily stabilize her.

text: Lang returns home once again, in time for a now suspicious Woo to release him at the end of his house arrest. Ava and Foster go into hiding. In a mid-credits scene, Pym, Lang, Hope, and Janet plan to harvest quantum energy to continue helping Ava. While Lang is in the quantum realm doing this, the other three disintegrate.[N 2]

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Paul Rudd as Scott Lang / Ant-Man: A former petty criminal who acquired a suit that allows him to shrink or grow in scale while also increasing in strength.[7] Following the events of Captain America: Civil War, in which Lang escapes from the Raft prison, director Peyton Reed said that "he's a fugitive in most of the first Ant-Man movie. He's just a bigger fugitive now."[8] Rudd was interested in Lang being a regular person rather than "innately heroic or super", and to be driven by his desire to be a responsible parent.[9]
Evangeline Lilly as Hope van Dyne / Wasp: The daughter of Hank Pym and Janet van Dyne, who is handed down a similar suit and the Wasp mantle from her mother.[7] The writers were excited to properly introduce the character as the Wasp, showing her "power set, how she fights, and what are the injustices that matter to her".[10] Lilly felt the character has "incredible satisfaction" in becoming the Wasp, "something that she has been waiting for her whole life, which is essentially an affirmation from her father".[11] Her relationship with Lang is more complicated than in the first film, and includes anger towards his actions during Civil War.[1] Lilly felt it was important that Hope "be an extremely empathetic and compassionate person" and "to always push for feminine qualities to be apparent when she is dealing with situations". In her fight sequences, Lilly wanted to move away from the more masculine Muay Thai and MMA-style of fighting she learned for the first film, noting that Hope moves differently than a man, so her fights should have "elegance, grace and femininity" with "a signature style" young girls could enjoy and emulate. Lilly worked with the writers to help ensure Hope was able to "represent a modern woman" without becoming the stereotype of a motherly figure.[12] Madeleine McGraw portrays a young Hope van Dyne.[13]
Michael Peña as Luis: Lang's former cellmate and a member of his X-Con Security crew.[14][1] There was less opportunity for Peña to improvise compared to the first film, where he and Rudd were still developing the character during filming.[15] The creative team wanted to feature another scene of Luis "riffing a long story" as he did in the first film, but did not want to repeat themselves; they were able to take a different approach by giving the character truth serum in the scene for this film.[16]
Walton Goggins as Sonny Burch: A "low-level criminal-type" who seeks to obtain Pym's technology for sale on the black market.[17]
Bobby Cannavale as Jim Paxton: A police officer and husband to Lang's ex-wife Maggie.[18][1]
Judy Greer as Maggie: Lang's ex-wife.[19]
Tip "T.I." Harris as Dave: A member of Lang's X-Con Security crew.[20][1]
David Dastmalchian as Kurt: A member of Lang's X-Con Security crew.[21][1]
Hannah John-Kamen as Ava Starr / Ghost: A woman with molecular instability, who can phase through objects;[17][22] she is only considered a "villain" because her attempts at survival clash with the heroes' goals.[1] The character is traditionally portrayed as male in the comics, but the creative team believed that the character's gender was irrelevant to its portrayal, and felt casting a woman would be more interesting;[17] it also allowed them to continue the theme of fathers and daughters seen with other characters in the film.[16] John-Kamen enjoyed this "blank-slate" aspect, allowing her to mold the character as her own.[23] Producer Stephen Broussard said that they wanted to cast a lesser-known actress to help maintain the mystery of the character, and John-Kamen "blew us away".[1] RaeLynn Bratten portrays a young Ava Starr.[13]
Abby Ryder Fortson as Cassie: The daughter of Lang and Maggie.[18]
Randall Park as Jimmy Woo: An FBI agent and Lang's parole officer.[24][25][1]
Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet van Dyne: The original Wasp who is lost in the quantum realm. She is Pym's wife and Hope's mother.[24] Pfeiffer was Reed's dream casting for the role since his time working on the first film, and he ensured that he received her input on the character. He noted that the character has spent 30 years in the quantum realm, so there is a question regarding how that has affected her.[26] Producer Kevin Feige explained that the character ages over those 30 years even though time works differently in the quantum realm to avoid any "sci-fi weirdness" that could take away from the emotional reunions with Pym and Hope in the film.[27] Hayley Lovitt stands in for a young Janet van Dyne, reprising her role from the first film;[13] according to Reed, she had been cast in the first film, before Pfeiffer's involvement, due to her "saucer-like, Michelle Pfeiffer eyes."[26]
Laurence Fishburne as Bill Foster: An old friend of Pym who was once his assistant on Project Goliath.[22] Fishburne had approached Marvel about joining the MCU, pitching them a few ideas for whom he could portray, before Marvel offered him the role of Foster in the film.[28] Despite having already portrayed Perry White for the DC Extended Universe, Fishburne said that he had always fantasized about being in an MCU film, admitting that he considered himself a "Marvel guy".[29] Reed likened the rivalry between Foster and Pym to that of Steve Jobs and Bill Gates,[30] and wanted an actor who can go "toe-to-toe" with Michael Douglas.[26] Langston Fishburne, Laurence's son, stands in for a young Bill Foster.[13]
Michael Douglas as Hank Pym: A former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, entomologist, and physicist who became the original Ant-Man after discovering the subatomic particles that make the transformation possible.[31] Pym has grown a lot closer to his daughter Hope since the first film, and according to Feige he has "that joy of fatherhood" in watching her become a superhero in her own right. Reed was attracted to the "morally dubious" decisions Pym sometimes makes.[1] Dax Griffin stands in for a young Hank Pym, having done so for the first film as well.[13]

tag: ul

text: Additionally Stan Lee, co-creator of the titular heroes, has a cameo in the film as a man whose car gets shrunk by accident.[32] Michael Cerveris appears as Ava's father Elihas Starr while Riann Steele plays his wife Catherine.[1] Tim Heidecker and Brian Huskey appear in cameos as a whale boat captain named Daniel Gooobler and a teacher at Cassie's school, respectively.[13][1] Sonny Burch's team of men includes Divian Ladwa as Uzman, Goran Kostić as Anitolov, and Rob Archer as Knox, while Sean Kleier portrays Stoltz, Burch's FBI inside man and Jimmy Woo's subordinate.[1] Tom Scharpling and Jon Wurster of The Best Show make brief appearances as Burch's SUV drivers.[33]

text: Production[edit]

text: Development[edit]

text:
It's such a no-brainer that there needs to be female heroes ... In the '60s comics, the Janet van Dyne Wasp was clearly written by all men and was pretty one-dimensional. She's gotten much more dimensionalized since then. That's one of those things that I think is going to be really exciting [in this film].
 —Director Peyton Reed on the Wasp's inclusion in the film[34]

tag: div

text: In June 2015, Ant-Man director Peyton Reed expressed interest in returning for a sequel or prequel to that film, saying that he had "really fallen in love with these characters" and felt "there's a lot of story to tell with Hank Pym".[35] A month later, Pym actor Michael Douglas said he was not signed for any additional films, but "would look forward to more if it comes my way",[36] and expressed the desire to have his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones cast as Janet van Dyne for a potential follow-up.[37] Evangeline Lilly—who played the daughter of Pym and Van Dyne, Hope van Dyne—wanted to see Michelle Pfeiffer in the role.[38] Producer Kevin Feige revealed that the studio had a "supercool idea" for the next Ant-Man film, and "if audiences want it, we'll find a place to do it."[39] Reed also mentioned that there had been talks of making a standalone adventure with Hank Pym as Ant-Man, possibly including the original opening to Ant-Man featuring Jordi Mollà which was cut from the final film. Eric Eisenberg of Cinema Blend opined that a standalone adventure with Pym and the cut sequence would be a good candidate to revive the Marvel One-Shots short film series.[40] By the end of July, David Dastmalchian expressed interest in returning for a sequel as Kurt.[41]

text: In October 2015, Marvel Studios confirmed the sequel, titled Ant-Man and the Wasp, with a scheduled release date of July 6, 2018.[42] Reed was in negotiations to direct the sequel by the end of the month,[43] and announced his return in November, along with the confirmation of Paul Rudd and Lilly returning as Scott Lang / Ant-Man and Hope van Dyne / Wasp, respectively.[7] Despite being offered to direct sequels in the past, Reed had never done so out of a lack of interest, but was excited to work on Ant-Man and the Wasp because there was "a lot more story to tell with these characters that I have a genuine affection and kind of protective feeling about".[44] He was also able to build the sequel "from the ground up", as he joined the first film late in the process following the departure of original writer and director Edgar Wright, and wanted to explore elements that he had set up in the first film.[45] He first began work on an outline for the sequel,[46] which he thought could be "weird, unique and different" now that the characters' origins had been established.[45] On being the first MCU film to have a female character in the title with the Wasp, Reed called it "organic" and noted the Wasp's final line in Ant-Man—'It's about damn time'—as "very much about her specific character and arc in that movie, but it is absolutely about a larger thing. It's about damn time: We’re going to have a fully realized, very very complicated hero in the next movie who happens to be a woman."[45] Reed would push to ensure the Wasp received equal publicity and merchandise for the film, and wanted to explore the backstory of Janet van Dyne as well. He had "definite ideas" of who should portray that character.[34] Reed said the alternate title Wasp and the Ant-Man was briefly considered, but was not chosen due to fan expectation given the comics history of the phrase "Ant-Man and the Wasp".[47] That month, Adam McKay, one of the writers of Ant-Man, expressed interest in returning to write the film,[48] and Douglas confirmed that he was in talks to return as well.[7]

text: Reed stated in early December that the film may "call back" to the heist film genre and tone of Ant-Man, but that Ant-Man and the Wasp would "have an entirely different genre template". He hoped to incorporate additional flashback sequences in the film, as well as explore Pym's various identities from the comics and his psychology. Reed also said he was "excited" about exploring and discovering the film version of the Ant-Man and Wasp relationship that is "a romantic partnership and a heroic partnership" in the comics, a "different dynamic than we've seen in the rest of the [MCU], an actual partnership." Additionally, Reed mentioned that pre-production would "probably" start in October 2016, with filming scheduled for early 2017.[49] Production writers for the first film, Gabriel Ferrari and Andrew Barrer, signed on to write the script along with Rudd,[50] with writing starting "in earnest" in January 2016.[49] The next month, McKay stated that he would be involved with the film in some capacity.[51] By April, the four writers and Reed had been "holed up in a room ... brainstorming the story", with Reed promising that it would have "stuff in it that you've never ever seen in a movie before".[52] Feige added that they wanted to "stay true to what made [Ant-Man] so unique and different", and teased the potential of seeing the Giant-Man version of Lang that had been introduced in Captain America: Civil War (2016).[53] Despite being "intimately involved in the writing and the development of the script", Reed did not take or receive a writing credit on the film.[44]

text: In June 2016, Reed said that for inspiration from the comics he had been looking at "early Avengers stuff and all the way up to the Nick Spencer stuff now", and was focusing on iconic images that could be replicated in the film over story beats from the comics. He added that there was "definitely a chance" for Michael Peña, Tip "T.I." Harris, and Dastmalchian to reprise their respective roles as Luis, Dave, and Kurt from the first film.[8] At San Diego Comic-Con 2016, Feige stated that Reed and Rudd were still working on the script,[54] and that filming was now expected to begin in June 2017.[54][55] Rudd elaborated that they had "turned in a treatment, but it's so preliminary. We'll see. We have an idea of what it might look like, but it could change a lot from where we're at now."[56] The next month, Peña was confirmed to be returning as Luis,[14] while filming was revealed to be taking place in Atlanta, Georgia.[57] In early October, an initial script had been completed for the film that was awaiting approval from Marvel.[58] Reed later revealed that early drafts of the script included a cameo appearance from Captain America, appearing during Luis' flashback sequences as he was recapping Lang's involvement in the airport battle in Captain America: Civil War. However, the writers chose to remove the appearance in the final script since the events of Civil War were already referenced frequently in the film, and this instance "didn’t feel organic to the story."[59]

text: Pre-production[edit]

text: At the start of November 2016, Reed said that the film's production would transition from "the writing phase" to "official prep" that month, beginning with visual development. Reed reiterated his excitement for introducing the Wasp and "really designing her look, the way she moves, the power set, and figuring out, sort of, who Hope van Dyne is as a hero".[60] Reed was inspired by the films After Hours (1985), Midnight Run (1988), and What's Up, Doc? (1972) for the look and feel of Ant-Man and the Wasp.[61] While the first film was more of a heist film, Reed described this as part action film, part romantic comedy, and was inspired by the works of Elmore Leonard where there are "villains, but we also have antagonists, and we have these roadblocks to our heroes getting to where they need to be".[30] He also stated his disappointment in the Giant-Man introduction happening in Civil War, rather than an Ant-Man film,[60] but noted that the appearance provided character development opportunities between Lang, Pym, and Van Dyne since Pym is "very clear in the first movie about how he feels about Stark and how he feels about The Avengers and being very protective of this technology that he has",[30] and so Reed thought Pym would be "pissed" and Van Dyne would feel betrayed, which was Reed's "in" for those characters' starting dynamics.[16] Reed added that he spends "a lot of time" talking with the other writers and directors of MCU films, and that he and the writers on this film wished to maintain "our little Ant-Man corner of the universe. Because it's a whole different vibe tonally".[60] Quantum physicist Spyridon Michalakis from the Institute for Quantum Information and Matter at the California Institute of Technology returned to consult on the film, after doing the same on Ant-Man, and explained the science behind getting extremely small to the filmmakers. Michalakis described the subatomic realm as "a place of infinite possibility, an alternative universe where the laws of physics and forces of nature as we know them haven’t crystallized" and suggested it should be represented in the film by "beautiful colors changing constantly to reflect transience."[62]

text: In February 2017, Douglas confirmed that he would reprise his role as Hank Pym in the film.[31] During the Hollywood premiere of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in April, Dastmalchian confirmed his return as Kurt,[21] and a month later, Harris confirmed his return as Dave as well.[20] Through that May, Marvel was meeting with several actresses for a "key role" in the sequel, with Hannah John-Kamen cast in the part at the beginning of June.[63] The following month, Randall Park joined the cast as Jimmy Woo,[25] and Walton Goggins was cast in an undisclosed role.[64] At San Diego Comic-Con 2017, Park's casting was confirmed; John-Kamen and Goggins' roles were revealed to be Ghost and Sonny Burch, respectively; and the casting of Pfeiffer as Janet van Dyne and Laurence Fishburne as Bill Foster was announced.[24] Judy Greer was confirmed to be reprising her role as Maggie from the previous film the following week.[19] Louise Frogley served as costume designer on the film after doing so for Marvel's Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), and worked with Ivo Coveney to create the superhero suits for the film. Based on designs by Andy Park, the suits are updated for the film from the 1960s-inspired designs used in the first Ant-Man to more modern designs. The Wasp suit included practical wings which were replaced with digital wings for when they are expanded and ready for flight.[1]

text: The Russo brothers, directors of Avengers: Infinity War and its untitled sequel, which were filming while Ant-Man and the Wasp was preparing to film, were in constant discussion with Reed in order to ensure story elements would line up between the films. Joe Russo added that Ant-Man and the Wasp would have "some [plot] elements that stitch in" closely with Avengers: Infinity War, more so than some of the other films leading up to the Avengers films.[65] Reed knew Ant-Man and the Wasp would be "a fairly stand-alone movie but... could not ignore the events of Infinity War", with the biggest connection occurring in the film's mid-credit scene. Since the events of Ant-Man and the Wasp occur over 48 hours, the timeline in relation to Infinity War was "left purposefully ambiguous" with Reed noting there had been discussions of placing "little Easter eggs along the way, to start to reveal to the audience where the movie takes place in the timeline, [but t]hat felt not very fun to us and kind of obvious." Reed also like the fact the film ends with closure and on a positive note "and then to BANG — give the audience a gut punch right after the main credits",[66] with the sequence showing Hank Pym, Janet van Dyne, and Hope van Dyne fading away due to the events of Avengers: Infinity War. The film also has a post-credit scene that shows the ant who doubled for Lang while under house arrest performing a drum solo.[6]

text: Filming[edit]

text: Principal photography began on August 1, 2017,[18] at Pinewood Atlanta Studios in Fayette County, Georgia,[57][67] under the working title Cherry Blue;[68] Dante Spinotti served as director of photography,[18] shooting on Arri Alexa 65 cameras, with some sequences being shot with a Frazier lens.[69] At the start of filming, Marvel revealed that Bobby Cannavale and Abby Ryder Fortson would also reprise their roles from the first film, respectively as Paxton and Cassie, and that Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers had contributed to the screenplay.[18]

text: The film's lab and quantum tunnel set was inspired by The Time Tunnel (1966–67), and was the largest physical set built for an MCU film, which Reed jokingly said was "a little counter-intuitive".[16] For the sequence where Janet Van Dyne communicates through Lang, inspiration was taken from All of Me (1984) in which Lily Tomlin's character is tripped in the body of Steve Martin's character. There were discussions about having Pfeiffer perform the scene first to give Rudd an idea of how she would act, but the group ultimately decided to let Rudd invent the scene completely himself.[16][44] For the chamber in Ghost's lair, the production team under production designer Shepherd Frankel wanted to create an environment that was unique to the MCU, and designed the chamber with fresnel lenses to give it concentric-circle patterns that served a practical purpose for the film's story as well as differentiating the aesthetics of it from other sets and creating mystery about the character. The chamber is surrounded by "support shapes" to "create this feeling of desperation and yearning for family and stability".[1]

text: Filming also took place in Metro Atlanta, with filming locations including the Atlanta International School, the Midtown and Buckhead districts of Atlanta, and the Samuel M. Inman Middle School in the city's Virginia-Highland neighborhood; as well as Emory University and the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia.[70] Additional filming took place in San Francisco in September 2017,[71] in Savannah, Georgia in late October,[72] and in Hawaii.[73] Production wrapped on November 19, 2017.[74]

text: Post-production[edit]

text: In late November, Lilly said that the characters would try to enter the quantum realm in the film, and their potential success would "open a whole entire new multi-verse to enter into and play around in" for the MCU.[75] The film includes a clip from Animal House (1978), which Reed was reminded of while discussing the quantum realm science for the film. Reed insisted that the film be shorter than two hours since it would be following the "massive epic" Infinity War and because it is "an action/comedy, and it didn’t want to overstay its welcome".[16] The film's main credits sequence is a "table-top" version of its action sequences,[16] and was created by Elastic.[76] An alternative idea that had been considered was to create a "fake behind-the-scenes documentary" that would have made the film look like it was a 1950s Godzilla movie with "people in suits stomping on model cityscapes".[16]

text: Visual effects[edit]

text: Visual effects for the film were created by DNEG, Scanline VFX, Method Studios, Luma Pictures, Lola VFX, Industrial Light & Magic,[69] Cinesite, Rise FX, Rodeo FX, Crafty Apes, Perception NYC, Digital Domain, and The Third Floor.[77]

text: DNEG worked on over 500 shots, including the effects for Ghost—which were shared with the other vendors—the third act chase sequence, and the final Ghost fight as Hank and Janet are returning from the quantum realm. For the "macro-photography" sequences in the film, DNEG took a different approach from their work in Ant-Man due to issues including trying to get a camera to seem small enough to capture the small actions. Though some of the film was shot with a Frazier lens that provides extra depth of field, DNEG would still need to "re-project the road higher and "raise the floor level" to simulate a tiny sized camera". As the third act chase sequence was mainly shot in Atlanta, while being set in San Francisco, DNEG VFX Supervisor Alessandro Ongaro noted it required "extensive environment work" with background elements in some shots not being salvageable at all.[69] DNEG ultimately created 130 unique environments for the chase. Clear Angle aided DNEG with the Lidar surveying and photography of San Francisco, and were able to get their information for Lombard Street down to the millimeter resolution.[78]

text: Lola once again worked on the de-aging sequences with Douglas, Pfeiffer, and Fishburne. The flashback sequences featuring a younger Hank Pym were set around the same time as the flashback sequences of Ant-Man, so Lola were able to use a similar process, referencing Douglas' appearance in Wall Street (1987) and having the actor on set in a different wardrobe and wig. Lola VFX Supervisor Trent Claus felt Pfeiffer's was less complicated, since "she has aged incredibly well" and still has big hair and a big smile. Pfeiffer's work from Ladyhawke (1985) and other films around that time was referenced. For Fishburne, his son served as his younger double, and helped inform Lola how the older Fishburne's skin would have looked in certain lighting situations. The films Lola looked to for Fishburne's younger self included Boyz n the Hood (1991) and Deep Cover (1992). Lola also made Fishburne thinner, and all actors had their posture adjusted.[69]

text: Luma worked on the scenes where Ant-Man and the Wasp infiltrate Ghost’s hideout, where they had to recreate the entire environment with CGI. They also created the first quantum tunnel sequence where Ghost receives her powers, and the flashback missile launch, which had to be replicated exactly from how it appeared in Ant-Man. The new version of the quantum realm, designed by Reed and production VFX supervisor Stephane Ceretti, was created by Method. Method Studios VFX Supervisor Andrew Hellen, explained, "We did a lot of research into macro and cellular level photography, and played with different ways to visualize quantum mechanics. It has a very magical quality, with a scientific edge. We also used glitching effects and macro lensing to ground the footage, and keep it from feeling too terrestrial." Method also worked on the sequence when Lang is the size of a preschooler, and created the digital doubles for Ant-Man and Wasp; Method used the same level of detail on the digital double suits regardless of what scale they were.[69]

text: Music[edit]

text: In June 2017, Reed confirmed that Christophe Beck, who composed the score for Ant-Man, would return for Ant-Man and the Wasp.[79] Beck reprised his main theme from Ant-Man, and also wrote a new one for Wasp that he wanted to be "high energy" and show that she is more certain of her abilities than Lang. When choosing between these themes for specific scenes throughout the film, Beck tried to choose the Wasp theme more often so there would be "enough newness in the score to feel like it’s going new places, and isn’t just some retread."[80] Hollywood Records and Marvel Music released the soundtrack album digitally on July 6, 2018.[81]

text: Marketing[edit]

text: Concept art and "pre-CGI video" for the film was shown at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con.[82] In January 2018, Hyundai Motor America announced that the 2019 Hyundai Veloster would play a significant role in the film, with other Hyundai vehicles also appearing.[83] The first trailer for the film was released on January 30, 2018 on Good Morning America,[84] and used the guitar riff from Adam and the Ants' "Ants Invasion".[85] David Betancourt of The Washington Post called the release, the day after the widely praised Black Panther premiere, a "smart move"; with Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War also releasing in 2018, "it can be easy [to] forget that hey, there is an Ant-Man sequel coming this year... So Marvel Studios giving us a quick reminder with this trailer release is logical".[86] Tracy Brown, writing for the Los Angeles Times, praised how the trailer prominently featured Lilly's Van Dyne "[showing] off how she was always meant to be a superhero".[87] A second trailer was released on May 1, 2018, following a teaser video featuring the Infinity War cast asking "where were Ant-Man and The Wasp?" in that film.[88][3] Graeme McMillan of The Hollywood Reporter felt the trailer made the film feel "very much like an intentional antidote for, or at least alternative to, the grimness of Infinity War's downbeat ending", calling it "a smart move" since it could be considered "a palate cleanser and proof that Marvel has more to offer... before audiences dive back into the core narrative with next year's Captain Marvel."[88] In June 2018, Feige presented several scenes from the film at CineEurope.[89] Promotional partners for the film included Dell, Synchrony Financial, and Sprint. In total, Disney spent about $154 million worldwide on promoting the film.[3]

text: Release[edit]

text: Theatrical[edit]

text: Ant-Man and the Wasp had its world premiere at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood on June 25, 2018,[90] and was released in the United States on July 6, 2018,[42] where it opened in 4,206 theaters, of which 3,000 were in 3D, 403 were in IMAX, over 660 were in premium large format, and over 220 were in D-Box and 4D.[3]

text: The film was scheduled to be released in the United Kingdom on June 29, 2018, but was rescheduled in November 2017 to August 3, 2018,[91] in order to avoid competition with the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Charles Gant of The Guardian and Screen International noted, "The worry for film distributors is that audiences will be caught up in the tournament. So it's easier to play safe and not date your film at this time, especially during the group stage, when all the qualifying nations are competing." Tom Butler of Yahoo! Movies UK added that, unlike the first film, which was one of the lowest-grossing MCU films in the UK, anticipation levels for the film "are at an all-time high following the events of Infinity War" and "UK audiences will probably have found out what happens in the film well before it opens in UK cinemas, and this could have a negative impact on its box office potential."[92] Butler and Huw Fullerton of Radio Times both opined the delay could also be in part because of Disney also delaying the United Kingdom release of Incredibles 2 to July 13, 2018 (a month after its United States release), and not wanting to compete with itself with the two films.[92][93] This in turn led fans in the country to start a Change.org petition to have Disney move the release date up several weeks, similarly to how Avengers: Infinity War's United States release was moved up a week the previous May.[94]

text: Home media[edit]

text: Ant-Man and the Wasp was released on digital download by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on October 2, 2018, and on Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD on October 16. The digital and Blu-ray releases include behind-the-scenes featurettes, an introduction from Reed, deleted scenes, and blooper reels. The digital release also features a look at the role concept art plays in bringing the various MCU films to life and a faux commercial for Online Close-Up Magic University.[95]

text: Reception[edit]

text: Box office[edit]

text: As of  October 28, 2018[update], Ant-Man and the Wasp has grossed $216.6 million in the United States and Canada, and $405.8 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $622.5 million.[5] Following its opening, Deadline Hollywood estimated the film would turn a net profit of around $100 million.[3] It is the seventh-highest-grossing film of 2018.[96]

text: Ant-Man and the Wasp earned $33.8 million on its opening day in the United States and Canada (including $11.5 million from Thursday night previews),[3] for an opening weekend total of $75.8 million;[4] this was a 33% improvement over the first film's debut of $57.2 million. Its opening included $6 million from IMAX screens.[3] In its second weekend, the film earned $28.8 million, coming in second behind Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation, and in its third weekend grossed $16.1 million, coming in fourth.[97][98] The film placed sixth in its fourth weekend,[99] seventh in its fifth weekend,[100] and tenth in its sixth weekend.[101] BoxOffice Magazine projected a final domestic gross of $225 million.[102]

text: Outside the United States and Canada, the film earned $85 million from 41 markets, where it opened number one in all except New Zealand. Its South Korea opening was $20.9 million (which included previews). The $15.5 million opening from the market without previews was the second-best opening of 2018 behind Avengers: Infinity War.[103] In its second weekend, playing in 44 markets, it remained number one in Australia, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Singapore.[104] The film opened in France in its third weekend, earning $4.1 million,[105] and opened in Germany in its fourth, where it was number one and earned $2.8 million, including previews.[106] The next weekend saw Ant-Man and the Wasp open at number one (when including previews) in the United Kingdom, where it earned $6.5 million,[107] and two weeks later, Italy opened number one with $2.7 million (including previews).[108] In its eighth weekend, the film's $68 million opening in China was the fourth-best MCU opening in China and the third-highest Hollywood film opening of 2018. $7.2 million was from IMAX, which was the best August IMAX opening in China.[109] The film opened in Japan the next weekend, earning $3.7 million, which was the top Western film for the weekend.[110] As of  September 9, 2018[update], the film's largest markets were China ($117.5 million),[111] South Korea ($42.4 million), and the United Kingdom ($21.5 million).[110]

text: Critical response[edit]

text: The review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 88% based on 342 reviews, and an average rating of 7/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "A lighter, brighter superhero movie powered by the effortless charisma of Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly, Ant-Man and The Wasp offers a much-needed MCU palate cleanser."[113] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a normalized score of 70 out of 100, based on 56 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[114] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A–" on an A+ to F scale, down from the "A" earned by the first film.[3]

text: Peter Travers, writing for Rolling Stone, gave the film 3 out of 4 stars and praised Rudd and Lilly, saying, "The secret of Ant-Man and the Wasp is that it works best when it doesn't try so hard, when it lets charm trump excess and proves that less can be more even in the Marvel universe."[112] Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times praised the lightweight tone as a treat and a breath following the "dramatically heavy conclusion" of Avengers: Infinity War. He also praised the cast, especially Rudd and Fortson, as well as the visual effects and inventive use of shrinking and growing in the action scenes.[115] Manohla Dargis at The New York Times felt the film's "fast, bright and breezy" tone was a vast improvement over the first film, praising Reed's direction. She also praised Rudd, felt Lilly found "her groove" in the film, and wrote that the supporting cast all had "scene-steal[ing]" sequences.[116] Simon Abrams of RogerEbert.com said the film was "good enough", a "messy, but satisfying" sequel that he felt managed to juggle its many subplots while giving Rudd's Lang some decent character development.[117]

text: Variety's Owen Gleiberman called the film "faster, funnier, and more cunningly confident than the original," and felt Reed was able to give the film enough personality to overcome its two-hour runtime and effects-heavy climax. He did caution that this was "not quite the same thing as humanity. But it's enough to qualify as the miniature version."[118] At The Washington Post, Ann Hornaday called the film "instantly forgettable" and criticized its plot, which she felt included some "filler" subplots, but found the film to be "no less enjoyable" because of this. She particularly praised Rudd along with the action and effects.[119] Writing for the Boston Globe, Ty Burr called the film the perfect "summer air-conditioning movie", finding it fun, funny, superficial and an improvement over the first. He also wrote that the film had too many subplots and not enough of Pfeiffer, but was pleased with the lack of connection that the overall story had to the rest of the MCU, and with the focus on "pop trash" comedy.[120] Stephanie Zachareck, writing for Time, said it was "hard to actively dislike" the film, which she thought had reasonably fun action and stand-out moments between Rudd and Fortson; but she was not as impressed with the larger, effects-heavy action sequences and felt the focus on Lilly as a better hero than Rudd was "just checking off boxes in the name of gender equality."[121]

text: Future[edit]

text: Ahead of the film's release, Reed noted that he and Marvel were "hopeful" about a third film, having discussed potential story points.[26] Michael Douglas also expressed interest in playing a younger version of his character Hank Pym in a prequel,[122] something which Reed already teased back in 2015.[35]