Kang Is Very Different MCU Villain Than Thanos, Says Ant-Man 3 Director

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania director Peyton Reeds promises that Kang will be a very different villain than Thanos. After the introduction of Paul Rudd's Scott Lang in 2015, the character has become one of the most prominent heroes in the MCU, going on to play an important role in the fight against Thanos in Avengers: Endgame. Now, Rudd's hero is set to take center stage once more in his third solo outing, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The upcoming film, which will kick off Phase 5 of the MCU, will pit him against Jonathan Majors' Kang, the first version of which was introduced in the Loki season 1 finale.

MCU fans have already gotten a good look at Kang in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in trailers and promotional material, but Reed recently took to the stage at Brazil's CCXP 2022 (via Collider) to offer additional details on Majors' villain. While careful not to divulge too much information regarding Kang's role in the upcoming sequel, Reed does tease that the villain will be very different from Josh Brolin's Thanos. Check out Reed's full comment below:

"We're starting off Phase 5 in a big, big way. This is the biggest adventure that Ant-Man and Wasp have ever gone on. We're going to strange places and we're encountering an antagonist that's unlike anything they've ever experienced — and that includes Thanos. I think that He Who Remains in Loki is very different than Kang the Conqueror in our movie. They're Variants, but they're extremely different people. Kang is someone who has dominion over time, but he conserves his energy. He's a very, very scary character to deal with, as Ant-Man and Wasp will find out first hand."

Why Ant-Man 3's Kang Could Be A Bigger Threat Than Thanos

Kang with glowing power in his hands in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

Thanos is currently the most powerful villain to ever be featured in the MCU, boasting extreme strength and durability and remaining committed to a singular goal. When Brolin's antagonist collects all the Infinity Stones in Avengers: Infinity War he becomes even more formidable, actually defeating the Avengers. Only using time travel are the Avengers then able to defeat Thanos in Avengers: Endgame. While Brolin's villain achieves his goals by way of brute strength, Kang in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania could take an entirely different approach, using enhanced intellect and technology to defeat his enemies.

If Majors' version of Kang adheres to the version of the character first seen in Marvel Comics then he won't actually possess any real superpowers, instead gaining his strength from highly-advanced technology, including battle armor and time travel devices. In addition to his superior skills as a military tactician, the antagonist has wielded an army of trillions of soldiers in the comics, clearly establishing him as a villain the likes of which the Avengers have never faced before. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's trailer has already shown off Kang's impressive battle armor and, while many mysteries remain regarding how the character will be realized in the MCU, if he's anything like the comics he could wield a level of power over the universe even greater than Thanos'.

Thanos is widely considered one of the best and most formidable MCU villains ever meaning expectations are high that Kang's introduction will have a big impact. Although he only featured briefly in the Loki season 1 finale, He Who Remains, a Kang variant, already showed off some impressive abilities. With Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania expected to feature a variant of the character who is even more powerful, the upcoming film will play a crucial role in setting up the villain who will dominate much of Phase 6 of the MCU.

More: Marvel Is Setting Up Kang As An Avengers Villain Way Better Than Thanos

Source: Collider