It’s safe to say Marvel Studios didn’t want to start Phase 5 like this. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has opened to some of the worst reviews the MCU has ever gotten, ending up at just 48 percent on the Tomatometer. Less than two weeks on from release and it’s sitting at $363 million at the box office, which is great for an Ant-Man movie, but disappointing for the franchise in general.
Complaints have ranged from a confusing story that sidelines its hero, shoddy CGI (M.O.D.O.K. instantly became a meme), and Jonathan Majors’ new big bad Kang not being a patch on Thanos, but at least the widespread criticism doesn’t seem to have brought star Kathryn Newton down.
Speaking to THR at the Screen Actors Guild Awards last night, she sounded sanguine about the response:
“It’s been a huge deal. I love going on TikTok and watching the fan edits. I really do. … So the fans pay attention, I love that they’re paying attention and I’m so grateful they’re watching.”
So something of a diplomatic answer, especially as Newton herself has come under heavy online fire for her performance.
Even so, Marvel Studios clearly has big plans for the character going forward. It hasn’t gone unnoticed that the MCU is quietly setting up a number of young superheroines, including Cassie Lang, Shuri, Ironheart, Yelena, and Kate Bishop. We’d love to see them team up as the Young Avengers down the road, perhaps with some of the more experienced heroes providing guidance.
For now, Quantumania looks set to go down as a bottom-tier MCU movie. Here’s hoping Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 delivers the goods, as Marvel Studios’ reputation has taken some dings lately.