While fans around the world makeCaptain America: Civil Wara huge success, the filmmakers are now revealing more details about the epic adventure. Including what was eventually cut from the movie. Running at 151 minutes,Captain America: Civil Waris the longest installment in the MCU. As it turns out, two prominent characters were cut from the movie entirely, after being introduced in the last Phase 2 movie,Ant-Man. If you haven’t seenCaptain America: Civil Waryet, there will be plenty of SPOILERS below, so read on at your own risk.
We knew right when production started last May thatPaul Ruddwould reprise his role fromAnt-Manas Scott Lang, although no other characters from that movie showed up. During an interview withMashable,Captain America: Civil WarwritersChristopher MarkusandStephen McFeelyexplained that earlier versions of their script includedAnt-MancharactersHank Pym(Michael Douglas) and Hope Van Dyne, a.k.a.The Wasp(Evangeline Lilly). Here’s whatStephen McFeelyhad to say, whenChristopher Markusrevealed that Hank Pym was featured in a “not very good” draft of the script.
“I forgot about that. We won’t speculate on what Hank Pym did, but he wasn’t as helpful as he needed to be.”
In one of the post-credit scenes inAnt-Man, Hank Pym presents his daughter Hope with The Wasp suit that he had been developing with his wife Janet, before she disappeared. Just a few months afterAnt-Manhit theaters, Marvel announced thatAnt-Man and the Waspwill hit theaters in 2018, withPaul RuddandEvangeline Lillyreturning to reprise their title characters.Stephen McFeelyrevealed that they left The Wasp out ofCaptain America: Civil Warbecause they didn’t want to “ruin” her own movie.
“In the case of Wasp, [we left her out because] it was really kind of ruining a good story point for her in her own movie.”
Christopher Markusadded that putting her inCivil Warwould have meant that her pivotal moment isn’t enough to be “presented dramatically” which is not true.Stephen McFeelycontinued, saying that these early drafts were written beforeAnt-Manhad even started production, andEdgar Wrightwas still attached to direct before famously bailing on the superhero project. WhilePaul RuddandEvangeline Lillyare set to return forAnt-Man and the Wasp, it still isn’t known ifMichael Douglaswill be back as Hank Pym. The actor revealed last year that he would come back if he didn’t have to carry as much dialogue as he did in the original. We don’t know when shooting will begin onAnt-Man and the Waspyet, but the studio has set a July 12, 2025 release date.
