Ant-Man 3: What Marvel Movies and TV Shows Do You Need to Watch Before Quantumania

You’ve all heard the complaint. Hell, some of you have probably even voiced it (maybe even in our comments). The continuity of the MCU is getting too tricky to keep up with, especially since they’ve started releasing something like four TV shows a year on Disney+ in addition to multiple big screen movies. Add that to the fact that Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is the third flick in the Ant-Man series alone, not to mention the 30-something chapter of the MCU as a whole (if you count the TV shows), well, we get it. And we want to help.

But fortunately, there’s only a handful of Marvel movies that you really need to have seen in order to get the full picture of this one. Don’t be frightened off by the way they’ve been teasing multiversal elements in this film or the fact that it’s squarely part of what the MCU is calling its “Multiverse Saga,” because there’s pretty much nothing from the multiversally-focused Spider-Man: No Way Home or Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness that you actually need to know. We’ve added one little bit of “extra credit” at the end, just in case, but don’t get too hung up on this stuff. Just enjoy the movie!

ANT-MAN

Is it crucial to understand Quantumania? Of course!

Why you should watch it: It’s possible that Ant-Man remains one of the most overlooked entries in the MCU. Having just rewatched it myself, that’s a mistake, folks! One of the better Marvel origin story flicks, with visual FX that are better than a lot of their most recent efforts, give this one another shot. Plus, it sets up the whole “legacy” theme of the entire franchise, from Hank Pym handing the Ant-Man tech off to Scott Lang, to the introduction of a very young Cassie Lang, to the fact that a key character from this returns in Quantumania, it’s an essential effort.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR

Is it crucial to understand Quantumania? Not crucial, but it wouldn’t hurt.

Why you should probably watch it: Well, if nothing else, to remind yourself how much fun Civil War is. This movie should have been a mess. But that aside, it was Scott’s introduction to the big leagues with the Avengers, and it’s clear in Quantumania that he personally still considers his role in this film to be a career highlight. Also, without this, you won’t understand why Scott is under house arrest in…

ANT-MAN & THE WASP

Is it crucial to understand Quantumania? Yes.

Why you should watch it: If you want to get a better understanding of why Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) is so important to this world, not to mention more explanation of the workings of the Quantum Realm itself, well, here you go. Plus it’s another essential step forward for Cassie Lang and her relationship with her Dad, which is of course central to Quantumania.

AVENGERS: ENDGAME

Is it crucial to understand Quantumania? Pretty much.

Why you should probably watch it: At this point, is there anyone left on this planet who hasn’t seen this movie? Aside from being the foundation of virtually all of Phase 4 and 5 (its time jump helps explain why Cassie is so significantly aged up in this film), it also makes Scott an inadvertently pivotal figure in the saving of the universe. And like the events of Civil War, it’s something he refers to frequently throughout Quantumania. But all that aside, Endgame just kicks absolute ass, and you should take any excuse to watch it again.

And for some extra credit…

LOKI

Is it crucial to understand Quantumania? Nope! But it’s extra credit.

Why you might want to watch it: Sure, the number of Marvel TV shows over the last two years has been a little excessive/overwhelming, but Loki is one of the better efforts from MCU Phase 4, and while it’s not essential to understanding any of the events of Quantumania, the season finale’s introduction of Jonathan Majors’ He Who Remains, a variant of Kang the Conqueror, as well as its explanation of the multiversal timelines and the consequences of incursions (which are mentioned in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness but that isn’t essential knowledge here) is some nice bonus background info. 

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is now playing.