Ant-Man & the Wasp may be all about rescuing Janet van Dyne from the Quantum Realm, but the mission might have some negative consequences. Though Ant-Man was a more humorous standalone film, focused more on character than a world-ending threat, it still opened up some pretty heady doors in the MCU. The idea of the Quantum Realm was only teased in the first film, but this year’s sequel will be all about exploring the trippy dimension and trying to bring Hank’s wife back from it. We’ve already seen what Janet looks like in Ant-Man 2, and it’s clear there’s more going on than we previously believed.

Like the many alternate dimensions glimpses in Doctor Strange, the look we got of the Quantum Realm in the first Ant-Man made it appear to be a desolate location. But the poster of Janet shows her in some acquired garb and possibly utilizing new tech. Marvel is known for turning story ideas on their head, so it’s safe to assume there’s more to the rescue of Janet than it appeared when the movie was first marketed. And though Hank and Hope will stop at nothing to get their loved one back, that may be a bad idea.

During Screen Rant’s set visit to Ant-Man & the Wasp, director Peyton Reed spoke about the central plot of the film. And while the mission to rescue Janet is certainly the thrust of the story, there may be some unintended fallout.

Reed is clear to point out finding Janet may mean one thing to the characters on a personal level but something entirely different to the world at large. That could be an important distinction, beyond just bringing back a former hero. We don’t know what’s happened to Janet after all of these years, and there’s also no telling what else may emerge from the Quantum Realm once the team starts probing. And while Ant-Man may be an Avenger, he and his team will be on their own for this mission.

The big mission is to find Janet. What that means, ultimately, for our characters on a personal level is one thing and what it means for the larger world is another thing. And all the other things are really stumbling blocks on the path. There is a big bad that has a very unique relationship to our characters.

Reed went on to discuss the film’s villain, Ghost. And while there’s no telling how she’s tied into everything with Janet and the Quantum Realm, her mysterious nature seems to point towards her connection to both.

It’ll be a bit longer before we know how Ghost is mixed up in everything, but it seems safe to assume that Ghost, Janet, the Quantum Realm, and the rest of the film’s mysteries are all somehow connected. Luckily, we know Scott Lang has a plan or two—but we’ll have to wait until Ant-Man & the Wasp arrives to see if they actually work.

You know that the character, Ghost, is in the movie and that we’ve adapted the character from the comics in a way that we feel is really unique to our movie and and very much tied into this universe, so she becomes a really, really crucial part of the story in a way that I can’t really reveal yet. Thank you very much. [Laughs]

MORE: Ant-Man and the Wasp Box Office Tracking Higher Than First Film

  • Ant-Man 2 Release Date: 2018-07-06 captain marvel Release Date: 2019-03-08 The Avengers 4 Release Date: 2019-04-26 spider-man homecoming 2 Release Date: 2019-07-02