Who Plays MODOK In Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania

Marvel’s live-acton M.O.D.O.K. finally debuts in Ant-Man 3, however, the actor already appeared in Ant-Man, connecting two MCU villains.

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania finally introduces Marvel fan-favorite comics villain M.O.D.O.K. making his first appearance in the MCU. While Jonathan Majors’ Kang takes center stage as the villain, the first appearance of the iconic villain M.O.D.O.K. in a live-action MCU production is just as crucial to Ant-Man 3’s story.

In the comics, the first M.O.D.O.K. is former Advanced Idea Mechanics technician George Tarleton, whose attempts at world domination are often thwarted by the Avengers. But Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania completely changes M.O.D.O.K.’s origin story in order to tie him back to an established MCU character. As surprise returns go, it ranks pretty highly.

Related: Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania MCU Easter Eggs & References Explained

Corey Stoll Plays MODOK In Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

M.O.D.O.K. is played by Corey Stoll in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. The actor famously played Ant-Man’s villain Darren Cross/Yellowjacket, a former apprentice of Hank Pym who stole Pym Technologies from Pym before rebranding it Cross Technologies. Stoll’s involvement in Ant-Man 3 was first rumored after Hope van Dyne’s Evangeline Lilly posted on Instagram to celebrate Ant-Man 3’s start of production and tagged Stoll among other confirmed cast members. What wasn’t clear until the movie’s release was that Corey Stoll is playing the same character in Ant-Man and Quantumania.

How Corey Stoll’s Darren Cross Becomes MODOK In Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania

While Corey Stoll’s Darren Cross was presumed dead after shrinking down to a sub-atomic level in his fight with Scott Lang at the end of Ant-Man, he survived in the Quantum Realm. The still traumatic scene of his body being twisted and broken by Ant-Man’s Pym particles wasn’t enough to kill him, but transformed him into the grotesque, big-headed figure re-introduced in Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania. He is also twisted by revenge, and aided by Kang – who calls MODOK “the hunter” – he became the villain Scott Lang meets again in Quantumania.

Corey Stoll’s return as Darren Cross shouldn’t have come as a total surprise. Disney +’s Loki episode 5’s easter eggs seemingly already proved Yellowjacket’s return to be connected to Kang and the Multiverse, which first planted the seeds of Quantumania‘s MODOK twist. And just as other MCU movies have enjoyed praise for their complex, personal villains, Darren Cross’ MODOK origin adds a whole new level of complexity to Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania.

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