Potential spoilers follow for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
It's finally happening: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has been given an official release date on Disney Plus.
Funnily enough, the Marvel Phase 5 movie, which landed in cinemas worldwide on February 17, will debut on one of the world's best streaming services exactly three months after its theatrical release. We don't think you'll need our help to work out when its Disney Plus arrival will be, then – but, if you do, you'll have to scroll down to get the lowdown on its definitive date.
Before you do, be sure to read our Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania review, which covers our spoiler-free thoughts of the first Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie of 2023. You'll have a better idea of whether it's worth streaming once you're done.
All caught up? Excellent, here's when Ant-Man 3 is set to arrive on Disney's main streamer.
When will Ant-Man 3 be released on Disney Plus?
Ant-Man’s biggest adventure arrives on @DisneyPlus. Marvel Studios’ #AntManAndTheWaspQuantumania is streaming May 17. pic.twitter.com/nzCkMJySYCApril 27, 2023
It seems like it's been forever since Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania was released in theaters, so its Disney Plus release has been a long time coming.
Thankfully, Marvel Studios has officially confirmed when it'll make its streaming debut. In the tweet above, the Disney subsidiary revealed Quantumania will launch on Wednesday, May 17, exactly three months after it was released in theaters.
Interestingly, the gap between Ant-Man 3's theatrical debut and its *ahem* shrinking down from the big to the small screen is the longest in MCU history. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever held that particular record before Quantumania, with 82 days passing between its launch in cinemas and landing on Disney Plus.
So, why the lengthy wait? We're not sure. Ahead of Marvel Phase 4 beginning in July 2021, a deal was struck between Marvel and its parent company that meant MCU films would have a 45-day exclusivity period in theaters before they'd join Disney Plus' back catalog. However, that agreement wasn't upheld, with every Marvel movie since Black Widow – which launched simultaneously in theaters and on Disney Plus due to the Covid-19 pandemic – spending more time in cinemas than expected. As a result, the gap between each MCU film's theatrical launch and Disney Plus release has widened.
One possible explanation is that the controversy surrounding Jonathan Majors, who plays Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, delayed the film's Disney Plus release.
Without wanting to get too deep into what's going on, Majors is currently facing some serious domestic violence allegations, which were originally made against him in late March. Majors was arrested over these claims, charged with numerous offences, and released pending further investigation. Majors and his lawyer have denied any wrongdoing on the former's part.
The case's current active state means Marvel can't publicly comment on whether it'll continue to employ Majors as Kang for future MCU films. Kang is set to be the MCU's main villain throughout Marvel's Multiverse Saga, which comprises Phase 4, Phase 5, and Phase 6 of the MCU. So, while Majors is set to appear in at least one more Marvel project – Loki season 2, which is still slated to arrive sometime in 2023 – Marvel is likely awaiting a resolution to this case before it decides whether to retain Majors' services.
Bringing it back to Quantumania, then: Marvel might have planned to release its latest superhero film on Disney Plus earlier than May 17. But, given the high-profile negativity surrounding Majors, the studio could have held its streaming launch back until the dust had settled somewhat.
How long is Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's runtime?
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania clocks in at 124 minutes, i.e. two hours and four minutes. That includes its credits crawl, plus its mid- and post-credits scenes (more on these in a moment).
The 2015 Ant-Man movie ran for 1 hour 57 minutes, while 2018's Ant-Man and the Wasp has a runtime of 1 hour 58 minutes. Quantumania, then, is the longest Ant-Man flick, but not by much.
How many Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania post-credits scenes are there?
As with many Marvel films before it, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has two post-credits scenes. Well, technically it has one mid-credits and one post-credits scene. You can read more about them in our Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania post-credit scenes explained article to find out what MCU movies and TV shows they potentially set up.
For more Marvel-based coverage, find out how to watch the Marvel movies in order. Additionally, read our best Marvel movies guide, or see which MCU TV series made it onto our best Disney Plus shows list.
