Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania, the third installment in the Ant-man films and the 31st of the MCU universe, is now playing in theatres. The film is also the first major movie screenplay of television and comic book writer Jeff Loveness. In this latest big-screen adventure, Scott Lang aka Ant-Man played by Paul Rudd takes on an almost unassailable enemy, Kang the Conqueror played by Jonathan Majors. The screenplay writer received the responsibility of scripting this film in 2020. By his admission, it was a daunting task to take on a much-loved superhero’s plotline along with developing and laying the foundation for the next MCU crossover, Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
Jeff Loveness dreaded writing for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania
In an interview with Discussing Film, Jeff Loveness talks about his experience being a first-time movie screenwriter. While he was filled with a sense of dread and panic regarding this massive responsibility that was thrust on him, the writer states that he was fortunate to have landed the gig, to explore his creativity. He says,
“Who knows if they regret it or not now (laughs) but I’m so happy that I got to put weird ideas in there and drive it all the way through, like M.O.D.O.K.’s character arc and death. I think this film does, hopefully, feel like it has a little more freedom or feels a little bit more like shooting off at the hip. I think that’s good for movies. So I feel super lucky that I got to do it. It’s fun writing movies, man. That’s all I can say”
Jeff Loveness says that Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania came to him at the perfect time
When Jeff Loveness was roped into the Ant-Man franchise as a writer in 2020, the world was hit by the Covid pandemic. With theatres closed and films indefinitely stalled, this was a dark period for the whole industry. The writer speaks of how working on the script of Ant-Man was a welcome diversion from the anxiety caused by the pandemic. He said,
“I honestly felt like I had this weight, this responsibility. I felt like I got this insanely lucky opportunity to write a fun, playful adventure comedy, and for a movie that I would have – when I think of movies, what do I think of? I miss seeing a movie with my brother and my cousins on a Sunday afternoon. Like a fun movie with weird big jokes that also has a cool villain and it takes you to another world”.
The writer further stated that this project encouraged him to go big and not play it safe with his characters thereby allowing him to pour his heart and soul into the script.
Jeff Loveness defends the lukewarm review of Phase 4
There has been a lot of talk among fans and critics about the quality of the phase 4 Multiverse Saga in the MCU. With movies like Black Widow, Thor: Love and Thunder, and Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness opening to mixed reviews along with this latest installment of Ant-Man, Marvel buffs have expressed their worry about what’s in store next. Jeff Loveness is confident that there are bigger and better things to come especially with the leadup to Avengers: Kang Dynasty. To quote the writer,
“Kang is a bad guy and Kang is going to cause some trouble. I think that’s the big theme. Let’s just put that on the Comic-Con screen”
It is evident from the confidence shown by the Rick and Morty writer that Phase 5 is going to kick in with a bang and that he and Marvel are in it for the long haul.
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is playing in theatres now.
Source: Discussing Film
