Ant-Man and the Wasp Sets July Filming Start Date

Screen Rant

By Matthew Erao

Published Mar 7, 2017

A new report indicates that Marvel's MCU sequel Ant-Man and the Wasp will begin filming in July of this year in Atlanta, GA.

Marvel is all geared up for a busy few years. Not only is their television arm continuing to turn out new shows, but they've got a number of movies on the horizon. This year, they'll be releasing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in May, followed by Spider-Man: Homecoming and Thor: Ragnarok later this year. 2018 will also see the studio release three films, starting with Black Panther before the heroes join forces to take down Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War next summer. Following the cosmic brawl, Marvel's smallest hero will return and team up with a new hero in Ant-Man and the Wasp.

The first film was a surprise hit for the studio, and they're hoping to strike gold again by introducing the company's first headlining female hero. While the focus means Evangeline Lily and the Wasp will sit out the fight against Thanos to save her reveal for her own movie, it will also allow director Peyton Reed to dive into more of the craziness of the first Ant-Man. With what's sure to be a lot of special effects, it was hardly surprising when we learned the movie will begin pre-production soon. We also heard the film would start shooting in June, but later discovered July may in fact be the date when Michael Douglas mentioned the month while confirming his return.

Now, it looks like we may have the definitive answer. My Entertainment World have updated their listings a few days ago and now have Ant-Man & the Wasp beginning production in Atlanta on July 6 of this year.

Not only does the date line up with previous reports, especially Douglas' stated start date, but it makes sense. That date is one year to the day before the film will enter theaters, which has come to be the timetable for Marvel films and other big budget fare. That will give all the actors plenty of time to shoot, then let the crew begin the post-production work to add in all of the effects. It also leaves a window open for reshoots, an increasingly common step for tentpole blockbusters.

Just yesterday we learned the working title for Ant-Man & the Wasp, and while it doesn't tease anything other than the color of the Wasp's suit, it does hint that the movie is gearing up to start pre-production. That work will involve storyboarding, location scouting, and even some pre-viz work to layout the action (and ant) scenes. Though we know the three main cast members are returning, not much else has been revealed. With production right around the corner, however, we're likely to learn about other cast members and plot points soon enough. Until then, we'll bring you all the Ant-Man & the Wasp news there is.