Ant-Man 3 Easter Eggs: The best cameos, jokes & Marvel references explained

Chris Tilly
Ant-Man 3 poster.

Ant-Man 3 – aka Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania – is in cinemas now, meaning it’s time to comb through the Marvel movie to list our favorite super-powered Easter Eggs.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania hit screens this week with an official synopsis as follows…

In the film, which officially kicks off Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Super-Hero partners Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne return to continue their adventures as Ant-Man and the Wasp. Together, with Hope’s parents Hank Pym and Janet Van Dyne, the family finds themselves exploring the Quantum Realm, interacting with strange new creatures and embarking on an adventure that will push them beyond the limits of what they thought was possible. Jonathan Majors joins the adventure as Kang.

That’s the plot, but what about the inside jokes, comic book references, and superhero cameos? Read on to find out the best Easter Eggs in Ant-Man 3. Just BEWARE OF FULL SPOILERS AHEAD…

The best Ant Man 3 Easter Eggs: Cameos

Bill Murray in Ant-Man 3.
Bill Murray as Lord Krylar

Bill Murray

Bill Murray has a brief but pivotal cameo in Quantumania, his first foray into superhero movies. The comedy legend plays Krylar, a character from the comics, who in this iteration is an old friend of Janet van Dyne from her time in the Quantum Realm. You can read all about Krylar here.

Randall Park

Randall Park first appeared as Agent Jimmy Woo in Ant-Man and the Wasp, desperately trying to keep Scott Lang in check. The character played a more substantial part in WandaVision as he endeavoured to save to save the world from Scarlett Witch. While Woo returns – very briefly – to have lunch with Scott early in Quantumania.

Corey Stoll

Corey Stoll played scientist and businessman Darren Cross in the first Ant-Man movie, who by the film’s end was transformed into the villainous Yellowjacket. Here he’s transformed once more, with Kang the Conqueror turning Darren into M.O.D.O.K., a mechanised killing machine who has quite the arc in Quantumania. You can read all about this version of the character here.

David Dastmalchian

David Dastmalchian played Kurt – a friend of Scott Lang – in both Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp. But with the new movie playing out in the Quantum Realm, there isn’t much room for his character. Dastmalchian nevertheless appears in voice form however, lending his vocal talents to a pink blob called Veb, who is obsessed with holes and what comes out of them.

Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson

There are two post-credit scenes at the end of Quantumania, both of which are explained here. But the second features a cameo from Tom Hiddleston’s Loki and Owen Wilson’s Mobius. They appear to be in the presence of what appears to be Kang variant Victor Timely (more on him below), which potentially sets up the villain in Season 2 of Loki.

Our favorite Ant-Man in-jokes

Paul Rudd as Scott Lang.

Looking Out for the Little Guy

Scott is promoting his book ‘Looking Out for the Little Guy,’ at the start of the movie, even reading excerpts to a bunch of kids. But that title isn’t an afterthought, with sticking up for those who can’t stick up for themselves becoming a major theme in the movie, via Cassie and Hope’s actions early in proceedings, and pretty much everything that happens in the Quantum Realm.

Ant-Man IS Spider-Man

Scott Lang is something of a local hero at the start of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, with all of San Francisco knowing and loving him. The local coffee joint also gives Scott his drink free. Though as he leaves, the shop’s owner says “Thank you, Spider-Man!”

Baskin-Robbins return

In the first Ant-Man, Scott lost his job at a Baskin-Robbins store when manager Dale discovered he was an ex-con. In Quantumania, Dale returns for a Baskin-Robins photo-shoot with the newly-famous and beloved Scott, to promote that same location.

Yellowjacket trauma

Early in proceedings, Scott wants to know why his daughter Cassie is in-and-out of trouble. Cassie responds that ever since a guy dressed as a bee burst into her bedroom when she was as kid, life hasn’t exactly been normal. A reference to the climax of the first Ant-Man movie, when Yellowjacket attacked the Lang home.

Cold War shenanigans

Over a family dinner, Hank Pym references the time Scott fought Captain America at an airport. Scott corrects this Civil War reference by stating that he fought with Captain America, as to do the opposite would be insane.

The best Marvel references in Quantumania

Kang the Conqueror in the comics.
Kang v Avengers in the comics.

Kang v The Avengers

On two occasions in Ant-Man 3, Kang states that he has fought Avengers. He even alludes to the fact that he has straight-up murdered some of earth’s mightiest heroes, asking Scott: “Have I killed you before? They all blur together after a while. You’re not the one with the hammer?” But time isn’t linear for Kang, so while this battle might be in our future, it’s also potentially in his past.

Scott’s Endgame Adventure

While reading excerpts from his book, Scott references his time-travelling adventures in Avengers: Endgame, including his first interaction with Rocket Raccoon, and being turned into a baby by Hulk. We also learn that Scott listens to said book while alone in his car.

Council of Kangs

The first post-credit scene in Ant-Man 3 features a bunch of Kang variants arguing with each other. Among them appear to be the very earliest incarnations of the characters in the comics – namely Rama-Tut and Immortus. Unhappy that a pair of Avengers have killed Kang the Conqueror, they plot their revenge, thereby setting up an overarching MCU storyline that should last long into the future.

Victor Timely

The second post-credit scene features the aforementioned Loki and Mobius cameo, where they are watching a figure onstage who us very likely Kang variant Victor Timely. Here’s everything we know about the character, who will very likely return in Loki on Disney+.

Kang Will Return

While celebrating his win over Kang via voiceover, Scott starts to have doubts, stating: “We did beat him right?” Then trailing off with: “But he also said something bad is coming, and that everyone would die if he didn’t get out…” Scott quickly puts this out of his mind, but with Avengers: The Kang Dynasty coming in 2025, that most definitely isn’t the last we’ve seen of the all-powerful supervillain.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is in cinemas now, and you can check out more of our coverage below…

Ant-Man 3 review | Ending explained | Quantumania characters and castWho is Kang the Conqueror? | Darren Cross as MODOK explained | Has Kang already killed an Avenger? | Who is Victor Timely? | Bill Murray’s character explained |  What is the Quantum Realm? | Post-credit scenes explained | Will there be an Ant-Man 4? | All the Marvel movies in order

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About The Author

Chris Tilly is the TV and Movies Editor at Dexerto. He has a BA in English Literature, an MA in Newspaper Journalism, and over the last 20 years, he's worked for the likes of Time Out, IGN, and Fandom. Chris loves Star Wars, Marvel, DC, sci-fi, and especially horror, while he knows maybe too much about Alan Partridge. You can email him here: chris.tilly@dexerto.com.