Marvel Star Confirms They’re Done With the MCU After 4 Movies (& That’s a Shame)

10 years after he debuted in 2015’s Ant-Man, a veteran MCU actor has revealed he’s set to leave the sprawling Marvel franchise behind. That sort of retirement from active MCU service isn’t exactly unprecedented, but this would be one of the few times an actor has dropped out of the franchise without being killed off or retired in-universe. Notably, the other biggest example came courtesy of another Ant-Man cast-member, after Evangeline Lily announced her own retirement from acting in 2024.

Joining her in inactivity is Michael Douglas, who played Hank Pym in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and who now believes his time with the franchise has ended. In a wide-ranging interview with Deadline, the actor was asked about his potential future in the MCU after playing his character in four films. In his response, Douglas seemed ready to turn the page, stating that he is having fun taking a break from acting and focusing on other things for the time being (such as producing). He mentioned that he made Ant-Man because it marked a change of pace for his career, and now that he’s had that experience, it’s time to move on.

“I don’t think so,” Douglas said when asked if he’d play Hank Pym again. “I had the experience, and I was excited to do it. I’d never done a green screen picture before. I did the The Kominsky Method because I wanted to work with Chuck Lorre and try some comedy. But I’m enjoying my hiatus and enjoying my life. It was overwhelming running the production company and acting at the same time.”

Douglas made his Marvel debut in 2015’s Ant-Man. In the film, Hank Pym was the original Ant-Man and takes Scott Lang under his wing to show him the ropes. Douglas went on to reprise the role in two Ant-Man sequels, most recently appearing in 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. He also had a small role in Avengers: Endgame, appearing in the section where Steve Rogers and Tony Stark go back to 1970 to steal Pym Particles for the Time Heist.

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Even though Douglas is finished with Marvel, characters from the Ant-Man franchise will continue to make an impact in the MCU. Paul Rudd was one of the many actors confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday, returning to play Scott Lang again. It’s unknown if any of Rudd’s co-stars, such as Evangeline Lilly or Kathryn Newton, will be among the other Doomsday casting announcements Marvel has planned.

Douglas was an entertaining part of the Ant-Man films, injecting the movies with a veteran presence. He proved to be a strong fit for the role, so it’s sad that the actor’s time with the MCU is over. Especially since Scott Lang is sticking around for at least one more movie, it’d be nice to see his mentor figure return to help out against Doctor Doom in some capacity. That said, Douglas’ decision to step away from the franchise makes sense. At 80 years old, there’s only so much Douglas can do in a big-budget tentpole now, and he seems to have other creative endeavors he wants to pursue. As fun as it can be making a superhero movie, those productions can be quite time-consuming.

Furthermore, there doesn’t appear to be many spots where it would be natural for Hank Pym to appear. The future of the Ant-Man solo series is very much up in the air. Quantumania earned mixed reviews and underwhelmed at the box office, meaning Marvel might not be inclined to make an Ant-Man 4 after Avengers: Secret Wars wraps up the Multiverse Saga. Things could change down the line, of course, but after making four Marvel movies and experiencing what it’s like to shoot a blockbuster, Douglas may have had his fill.