As Ant-Man 3 prepares for the events of Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, it is no secret that the main focus has been on Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror. But the time-traveling victor won't be the only adversary the dwindling squad must contend with; in the February 2023 film, MODOK will also be making his MCU debut.
Before it was made official at San Diego Comic-Con this year, The Direct initially reported the big-head villain's involvement in December 2021. There is much expectation to see how MODOK will ultimately fit into the Quantum picture, despite indications that he may undergo some significant modifications to his famous comic appearance.
The designer of Quantumania's MODOK has even referred to creating the character as "one of the best experiences" of his career, and fans can't wait to see him in person. Those who attended this year's Comic-Con and D23 got a sneak peek of the villain, but sadly it wasn't included in the public release.
The MODOK character in the MCU has undergone some significant modifications from the comics, much as people who viewed the Ant-Man 3 trailer from D23 had noted. The biggest clue that he would be entirely mechanical, or that it is only a mask intended to hide the person behind until release, is his golden faceplate.
Other Quantumania figurines were also made available online, including improved images of the Ant-Man and the Wasp and Kang the Conqueror costumes designed by Jonathan Majors.
How MODOK Fits Into the Kang Story in Ant-Man 3
Since MODOK was omitted from the public trailer and has not yet been properly introduced to the world, it is too early to say how he will affect the plot. According to what is currently known, the Ant-Man family is sent to commit a heist for Kang after being sucked into the Quantum Realm.
What remains to be determined is how MODOK can participate in this adventure and if he will team up with Kang, Ant-Man, or his own third party. According to one idea, the giant villain could be riding the conqueror's fabled time chair across the Quantum Realm, which is possibly why he sends the heroes to steal it.
If this were the case, Kang might wind up serving more as a "in the shadows" menace while MODOK becomes the major antagonist of Quantumania. This would ultimately make a lot of sense because the time-traveler will be the Avengers' next major adversary in The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars.
But what's still puzzling is why MODOK looks the way he does in the MCU and why, in contrast to his comic appearance, his face has been hidden by a golden faceplate. The design may have just been tough to convert to live-action, or perhaps whatever is concealed will turn out to be a spoiler.
On February 17, 2023, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania will be released in theatres.
