Who is Hope van Dyne?
Hope is the daughter of Hank Pym, the scientist who created the shrinking technology, and Janet van Dyne, the original Wasp who vanished into the quantum realm when Hope was a child. She grows up resentful, brilliant and very good at fighting. When we meet her in Ant-Man, she sits on the board of her father's old company and is quietly working against the man running it.
The obvious question is why she is not the one in the suit, and the film takes that frustration seriously. She trains Scott Lang, a reformed thief, while making it clear she could do the job better.
Hope's films in order
- Ant-Man (2015), recommended. She is a trainer and strategist, not yet a hero in costume.
- Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), recommended. She finally takes the name and the wings.
- Avengers: Endgame (2019), essential.
- What If...? (2021), optional. An alternate-universe animated appearance.
- Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023), essential.
Turning points in her arc
Her real turning point arrives at the end of Ant-Man, when Hank shows her a new suit he had been building. In the sequel she is a full partner, faster and more precise than Scott, and the plot is driven by the family's hope of reaching Janet in the quantum realm. That film also has a credits scene that ties directly into the bigger Avengers story, so stay for it. Endgame gives her a smaller role, mostly in its final act. Quantumania takes the whole family into the quantum realm and introduces a major new threat for the Multiverse Saga; it is best watched without spoilers.
Family and partners
Ant-Man (Scott Lang) starts as her student and becomes her partner in every sense. Hank Pym is the father she struggles to forgive, and their scenes are some of the most honest in the series. Cassie Lang, Scott's daughter, grows from a kid on the edges of the first film into a young hero of her own by Quantumania. Sam Wilson crosses paths with the Ant-Man family early, when Scott picks a fight with him at the Avengers facility, which sets up later team-ups.
Evangeline Lilly as the Wasp
Evangeline Lilly plays Hope as someone who keeps her guard up and lets very few people see her laugh, which makes the moments when she relaxes count. She handles the action scenes with a crisp, almost martial style that suits the Wasp's speed. Many viewers first knew her as Kate Austen on Lost. She also played the elf warrior Tauriel in The Hobbit films and appeared in The Hurt Locker.
How to watch the Wasp's story
Go in release order. Ant-Man sets up her family history, Ant-Man and the Wasp gives her the suit and the search for Janet, Endgame brings her into the big crossover, and Quantumania continues the family's adventure into the Multiverse Saga. If you only have time for two, watch Ant-Man and the Wasp and Quantumania back to back, because the second picks up the quantum realm thread the first one starts. Find Janet, Cassie and the rest of the family on our characters page.