Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania kickstarts Phase 5 next week, and we've now got a sense of whether the new phase of the MCU is off to a promising start.
The threequel brings back Paul Rudd's Scott Lang as he embarks on a Quantum Realm adventure with Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), his daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton) and Hope's parents Janet (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Hank (Michael Douglas).
Their mission pushes them beyond the limits of what they thought possible and also brings them face-to-face with the MCU's new Big Bad, Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors).
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania held its world premiere last night (February 6) and those lucky few in attendance have taken to social media to share their immediate thoughts on the movie.
Judging by the first reactions, Marvel's Phase 5 has kicked off with a bang, with Fandango's Erik Davis describing the new movie as a "psychedelic rollercoaster full of frightening and hilarious oddities".
"Big STAR WARS vibes meet the MCU at its freakiest and most inventive," he added. "MODOK is a riot, but Jonathan Majors conquers. Loved the ride!"
Several critics agreed villainous Kang the Conqueror was the highlight of the movie, with Geek Vibes Nation writing: "Thanos was the appetizer while Jonathan Majors #KangTheConqueror is the main course. Majors plays Kang with brilliance and confidence; a menacing and cunning villain with a hint of charm. Kang dominates physically and mentally"
Echoing those thoughts, BuzzFeed's Nora Dominick praised Majors as "compelling, chilling, and already giving a top notch performance".
"I love the complexity he brings to Kang with literally a single look," she continued. "MCU really won with this casting."
Last month, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige explained why Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania was chosen to start Phase 5, given the previous two movies haven't held major positions in the MCU.
"We wanted to kick off Phase 5 with Ant-Man because he'd earned that position," he said. "To not simply be the back-up or the comic relief, but to take his position at the front of the podium of the MCU."
The new movie also sees Bill Murray and Good Place star William Jackson Harper make their MCU debuts, while David Dastmalchian is back (albeit as a different character) and Corey Stoll is making a surprise return.
Stoll is appearing as MODOK, which was revealed in the latest trailer for the movie. It's unclear yet if MODOK is linked somehow to Stoll's previous Ant-Man role as Darren Cross, aka Yellowjacket.
Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania is released in cinemas on February 17.
