The sprawling nature of the Marvel Cinematic Universe means it’s easy for fans to lose track of characters and forget what the future might hold for them, and in the case of Ant-Man star Bobby Cannavale, he’s just as oblivious to when his Paxton could return to the MCU as audiences are. With the third film, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, shooting this year, the actor claims he won’t be appearing in the upcoming sequel, but isn’t ruling out returning to the franchise further down the line and potentially playing a more integral component of an adventure. Until then, fans can check out Cannavale in the new Hulu series Nine Perfect Strangers when it premieres on August 18th.
Videos by ComicBook.com
“I’m still checking my emails. I know they started shooting so it doesn’t look good for Paxton,” Cannavale shared with ComicBook.com when asked about a return to the franchise. “There’s a part of me that thinks I’m not in this one because they’ve got something bigger coming up.”
Of those bigger opportunities, the actor joked, “Ant-Man and Paxton. Or maybe I go away long enough that I can be my own hero.”
As if the number of films Marvel Studios is developing doesn’t offer enough opportunities for Paxton’s return, there are also various TV series that could present similar opportunities. WandaVision, for example, saw the return of Ant-Man and the Wasp‘s Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) who was heavily featured in the narrative, with that series also featuring Teyonah Parris’s Monica Rambeau, who is slated to be a major figure in the Captain Marvel sequel The Marvels.
Based on The New York Times bestselling book by author Liane Moriarty, Nine Perfect Strangers takes place at a boutique health-and-wellness resort that promises healing and transformation as nine stressed city dwellers try to get on a path to a better way of living. Watching over them during this 10-day retreat is the resort’s director, Masha (Nicole Kidman), a woman on a mission to reinvigorate their tired minds and bodies. However, these nine “perfect” strangers have no idea what is about to hit them.
Nine Perfect Strangers was executive produced by David E. Kelley (Big Little Lies) and also stars Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon, Luke Evans, Regina Hall, Samara Weaving, Melvin Gregg, Asher Keddie, Grace Van Patten, Tiffany Boone, and Manny Jacinto.
Stay tuned for details on Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantamania, which is currently slated to hit theaters on February 17, 2023. Nine Perfect Strangers premieres on Hulu on August 18th.
Are you hoping Paxton will return? Let us know in the comments below!