The Marvel Cinematic Universe is now in the completely unexpected position of being an “underdog,” a fact that seems completely shocking when considering that it was only five years prior whenAvengers: Endgamebriefly became thehighest grossing film of-all time. The fourth phase of the franchise, which was the first to take place within the “Multiverse saga,” was met with far less enthusiastic responses than any of its predecessors. AlthoughAnt-Man: and the Wasp: Quantumaniahoped to kickstart interest in the MCU through the reintroduction of Kang (Jonathan Majors) after his scene-stealing role inLoki,the film became a massive critical and financial disappointment for Marvel Studios. Given that the film was essential within debates over whether “superhero fatigue” was a real thing,it may have been easy to overlook the reference toAnimal Housethat is included early on inAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Loosely based on the real experiencesthatNational LampoonwritersHarold RamisandChris Millerhad while they were in college,Animal Houseis regarded as one of the most influential comedies of the 1970s. Set in the fictional Faber College,Animal Housefollows the freshman Larry “Pinto” Kroger (Tom Hulce) and Kent Dorfman (Stephen Furst) as they attempt to gain admittance to the wild Delta Tau Chi fraternity, which consists of many wacky members that attempt to cause chaos on campus. With its overt sexuality, comic mayhem, and frequent drug content,Animal Houselaid the groundwork for an entirelynew generation of R-Rated comedies. Even if they seemed geared at completely different audiences from wildly distinct generations,a recycled audio clip fromAnimal Househelps explain one of the most confusing aspects ofAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania
Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne are dragged into the Quantum Realm, along with Hope’s parents and Scott’s daughter Cassie. Together they must find a way to escape, but what secrets is Hope’s mother hiding? And who is the mysterious Kang?
How Does ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Connect to ‘Animal House’?
While theprevious two entries in theAnt-Manserieshad gone to the subatomic side of the MCU,Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniawas the first film in the series that took place almost entirely within the Quantum Realm.After learning that his mother-in-law, Janet Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer), has been attempting tobridge a connection to the Quantum Realm, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) decides to help her with her experiment. Unfortunately, the test goes awry, leading Scott, his girlfriend Hope (Evangeline Lily), his daughter Cassie (Kathryn Newton), Janet, and her husband Hank (Michael Douglas) into the Quantum Realm, which is under Kang’s strict control. After meeting some of the native inhabitants, the Lang and Pym families discover that Kang is intent on spreading his control across all levels of the multiverse.
Although it initially seemed thatKang was being set up to be the next “big bad”of the MCU as the franchise lacked a consistent antagonist in the aftermath of Thanos' (Josh Brolin) death inAvengers: Endgame, a lot of the quantum dynamics inAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniagot very confusing, even for comic book buffs. to explain the Quantum Realm’s scope when compared to the “normal” scenes on Earth,director Peyton Reed included a brief audio clip fromAnimal House.The clip is taken from a scene in which Boon (Peter Riegert), Katy (Karen Allen), and Pinto are all smoking marijuana with their professor, Dave Jennings (Donald Sutherland).
TheAnimal Housescene features Pinto’s hilarious conversations after smoking for the first time. Unaware of the effects that the drug has on him, Pinto begins engaging indeep conversations about the possibility of an entire universe existing in his thumb. Ironically, these are the actual stakes ofAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.Even though it’s one of the more action-packed installments in the MCU thus far, all ofAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniatakes place in a small dimension that’salmost completely removed from the rest of the universe.
‘Quantumania’ Is the Most Psychedelic Installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
Although a family-friendly Marvel film produced by Walt Disney Studios is unlikely to include any direct references to marijuana,Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniais certainly the trippiest film in the MCU thus far.Reed was able to create an entirely unique world within the Quantum Realm, with bizarre visuals that evoke comparison with the classic adventure stories ofJules Verne. Narratively, it’s also one of the blandest MCU films thus far, but Reed does deserve credit for incorporatingsome psychedelic imagery into the film’s aesthetic.
While the inclusion of theAnimal Houseclip suggests that Reed is aware of how inherently confusing the film’s premise is,Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniasuffers from an overreliance on visual effects,and particularly the use of “the volume” technology. In a film that is almost entirely shot on sound stages with green screen, it’s very hard to determine how large certain locations, characters, and events are supposed to be proportioned to each other.The underwhelming response that the film receivedsuggested that using the more simplistic logic ofAnimal Housemight have been in the film’s favor.
‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Stunk — Literally!
Paul Rudd smells manure in the Quantum Realm.
‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Could Have Been More Comedic
Perhaps the most jarring blunder within the development ofAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniais the decision to take the series in a much darker direction than it had previously been. BothAnt-ManandAnt-Man and the Waspwererelatively small-scale heist adventure filmsthat had very low stakes. Comparatively,Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniacould have used some of the goofier humor ofAnimal Houseto reflect the roots of the series.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniaalso wasted many talented comedic actors,as Rudd andBill Murrayin particularwere best known for their comedic work before joining the MCU. Perhaps it wouldn’t have been a wild frat comedy likeAnimal House, but there certainly wasn’t anyone asking for a “dark and gritty”Ant-Manmovie, something DC is often criticized for.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniais streaming on Disney+ in the U.S.
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