“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” could be the last major film for both Michael Douglas and Evangeline Lily, as they have both seemingly retired from acting.
Michael Douglas Not Returning to Acting
According to the New York Post, Michael Douglas recently announced at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in the Czech Republic that he has no plans to return to acting. While he does not have real intentions of being active in the film industry specifically as an actor, he does mention that if something special came up, he would consider a return, “I have no real intentions of going back. I say I’m not retired because if something special came up, I’d go back, but otherwise, no.”
He additionally told Variety that although he has been working for almost 60 years, he does not “want to be one of those people who dropped dead on the set.”
In regard to his Marvel connection, Douglas starred as Hank Pym in all three films of the “Ant-Man” trilogy and as well as “Avengers: Endgame.” In the same interview, he was specifically asked about returning to a future Marvel project. Douglas had this to say about returning to the MCU:
“I don’t think so. I had the experience, and I was excited to do it,” Douglas stated. “I’d never done a green screen picture before.”
“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” was the last major project that Douglas acted in prior to his semi-retirement announcement. While the actor has no plans to return to the big screen, he does plan to continue producing.
Evangeline Lily Steps Down From Acting
Last year, Variety announced that Evangeline Lily had expressed a similar sentiment on her Instagram page. In the post, Lily wrote:
“I am so filled with joy and contentment today as I live out my vision. Praise God, I feel so grateful for my blessings. Stepping away from what seems like the obvious choice (wealth and fame) can feel scary at times, but stepping into your dharma replaces the fear with fulfillment. I might return to Hollywood one day, but, for now, this is where I belong.”
“A new season has arrived, and I AM READY…and I AM HAPPY.”
She later told Variety that she had been on a hiatus from acting since working on “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.” While she is under no contractual obligations to return to any franchise, she does say that a return to acting is possible in the future.
‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’
In the third “Ant Man” film, which released on February 17, 2023, super-hero partners Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) return to continue their adventures as Ant-Man and the Wasp. Together, with Hope’s parents Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), and Scott’s daughter Cassie Lang (Kathryn Newton), the family finds themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, “interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought possible.”
While the film stayed at the top of the domestic box office for its second weekend, it had the biggest drop of any Marvel Cinematic Universe movie, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
With both Douglas and Lily stepping into a retired phase, many have raised questions about the future of Ant Man in the MCU. Actor Paul Rudd was one of the confirmed names shown during the now-infamous chair livestream that revealed the main cast for “Avengers: Doomsday.” While the film was originally scheduled to premiere on May 1, 2026, the date for “Doomsday” was pushed back to December 18. Likewise, it’s sequel “Avengers: Secret Wars” was also pushed further back to the end of 2027.
Are you sad to see these two actors step away from the screen? Let us know in the comments.
Sources: New York Post, Variety
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