Film guide · 2018

Ant-Man and the WaspComplete Guide

The parts that are hard to follow from the film alone, explained with a story summary, a character map and key terms.

Released
2018
Runtime
118 min
Set in
2018

Good to know before watchingNo spoilers

It continues Ant-Man

Scott, Hope, Hank and Luis all return. The first film helps.

It's set after Civil War

Scott joined the airport fight and is serving two years of house arrest.

A story about family

It follows two families: Scott and his daughter Cassie, and Hank, Hope and Janet.

There are scenes during and after the credits

The mid-credits scene is essential. Don't skip it.

Character mapSpoilers

Who's who in Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), with Scott Lang and Hope van Dyne at the center. Scott's family and friends are on the left, the Pym family top right, and those after the lab below.

Because of copyright, we can't use stills, posters or any other images of the characters as they appear in the film. All face photos are freely licensed photos of the actors themselves (non-human characters are original illustrations made for this site; people without a photo are shown with initials).

Drag to move, pinch (or scroll on a computer) to zoom. Tap a person to read about them.

All characters

About the images

Face photos are freely licensed photos of the actors from Wikimedia Commons, cropped to a square and resized. Non-human characters are original illustrations made for this site, and people without a photo are shown with a placeholder (initials).

StorySpoilers

Read the story (spoilers up to the ending)

1. The last days of house arrest

Scott has three days left of house arrest when he has a strange dream that seems to be one of Janet's memories.

2. Hope and Hank

Hank and Hope, on the run for violating the Accords, take Scott from his house. They've built a quantum tunnel to rescue Janet.

3. The dealer and the Ghost

Getting a part, Hope clashes with black-market dealer Sonny Burch. Then a phasing enemy, Ghost, appears and steals the lab.

4. Who Ghost is

Ghost is Ava, a woman whose body became unstable in an accident years ago. She needs energy from the Quantum Realm to heal.

5. A message from Janet

Janet speaks through Scott's body and tells them where she is.

6. Chase through San Francisco

A wild chase through the city follows as Ghost and Burch's men fight over the lab. Scott grows giant and wades through the bay.

7. Reunited after 30 years

Hank enters the Quantum Realm, finds Janet and brings her home. Janet eases some of Ava's pain.

8. Home just in time

Scott gets home seconds before the FBI agent arrives and finishes his house arrest.

Read the detailed scene-by-scene story

Key terms

The Quantum Realm
A strange world beyond the size of atoms, where time and space work differently.
The quantum tunnel
The machine Hank and Hope are building to reach the Quantum Realm.
The portable lab
Hank's whole lab building can shrink down and be carried like a suitcase.
House arrest
Scott can't leave his home for a set time, monitored by an ankle bracelet.
The Wasp
Hope's suit, which can fly with wings and shrink or grow.

Confusing parts, explainedSpoilers

Contains spoilers about the ending.

Why is Scott under house arrest?

He fought on Captain America's side in Civil War and broke the Accords.

Is Ghost evil?

She's desperate, in constant pain and afraid of dying. By the end, she no longer has a reason to fight.

How did Janet survive 30 years?

Time works differently in the Quantum Realm, and she learned how to survive there.

What's the mid-credits scene?

While Scott is in the Quantum Realm, the three people outside vanish. It happens at the same moment as the end of Infinity War.

Easy-to-miss details

Luis's long story

Dosed with truth serum, Luis can't stop rambling through unrelated stories.

Shrinking cars

The chase with cars that change size is a highlight unique to this series.

Stan Lee's cameo

Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee appears as a man whose car shrinks in front of him.

The ending and post-creditsSpoilers

After the end credits

Mid-credits: the Snap happens and Scott is left in the Quantum Realm. Post-credits: a giant ant plays the drums.

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