Avengers: Doomsday is just one year away and the internet is already alive with rumors and reports about which stars of the Marvel Cinematic Universe could return. We have Avengers from years gone by, classic Marvel movie actors unfamiliar with the MCU, and even X-Men legends all rumored to appear in the upcoming film (or its 2027 sequel Avengers: Secret Wars).
The good news is that we do have a rough outline when it comes to the comebacks as Marvel Studios officially announced a list of 27 actors who will appear in next year's extravaganza. But in a way, that has only strengthened the rumors as audiences continue to speculate about who could be involved (and why certain names are absent from that list).
Speaking of absences, one MCU star has already confirmed that they won't be involved in the film but that they will have a future in the franchise outside of that. Now, another seems to have ruled out a return altogether.
Michael Douglas has no plans to return to the MCU as Hank Pym
Hollywood legend and cinematic icon Michael Douglas has seemingly ruled out a return to the MCU. Speaking to Deadline in a new interview in which he reflected on his career, he opened up about his current hiatus from acting. When asked about whether a potential return to the Ant-Man franchise could be on the horizon, he responded:
"I don’t think so. 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."
Douglas has been a fixture of the Marvel Studios franchise since 2015 when he first debuted as Hank Pym in Ant-Man. He has since reprised the role in 2018's Ant-Man and the Wasp and 2023's Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, while also making a cameo appearance in 2019's Avengers: Endgame.
Although there weren't any confirmed appearances for the character in the immediate future, his Ant-Man co-star Paul Rudd is among the confirmed returnees for Avengers: Doomsday, so a cameo from Scott Lang's extended family wouldn't have been completely unexpected. Furthermore, there were reports that a fourth Ant-Man was in the works prior to the underperformance of Quantumania in 2023, but it has now reportedly been cancelled. If it had gone ahead, you would imagine that Douglas' character would have been involved in some capacity there, too.
While the promoting Quantumania two years ago, Douglas did say to The Hollywood Reporter that he would return for a fourth film if his character could die. He also spoke of his desire to the see Hank get killed off due to how it would service his arc while also making full use of the special effects that the MCU movies are known for.
Look, there is no doubt about it: Michael Douglas is a Hollywood legend who has entertained millions of people for decades. He's more than earned the right to an acting hiatus. Marvel movies are known to be intense, often overwhelming productions, so it would be particularly understandable if he didn't want to return for another one (especially as his character had far much more to do in the most recent Ant-Man installment). That being said, we do hope that he returns for a guest appearance at some point in the near-future so that we can get to experience the revered Hank Pym at least one more time.