Read update
- Scott Lang and his team are returning to the big screen once more this February for the highly-anticipated third installment in the franchise, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. With the first trailer finally available online, fans are rediscovering their love for Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang and his litany of lovable lines throughout his appearances thus far in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Ant-Man‘s Scott Lang is one of the MCU’s most surprising characters. It would be far too easy for a movie about a superhero who shrinks to come across as campy or corny in the worst possible way, and many a fan worried about how he would be portrayed. Enter Paul Rudd.
With his sharp wit, natural delivery, and pitch-perfect comedic timing, Rudd helped create a character who is not only highly relatable but also has audiences laughing out loud. Whether Rudd’s Scott is revealing what a great dad he is or calling out things that make absolutely no sense, this Ant-Man has some of the all-time best quotes in the MCU.
Updated on October 26th, 2022 by Jordan Iacobucci:
Scott Lang and his team are returning to the big screen once more this February for the highly-anticipated third installment in the franchise, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. With the first trailer finally available online, fans are rediscovering their love for Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang and his litany of lovable lines throughout his appearances thus far in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“Wait! I Didn’t Steal Anything, I Was Returning Something I Stole.”
Ant-Man
The main source of Scott’s problems in the first Ant-Man movie is his criminal record. A modern-day Robin Hood, the soon-to-be superhero’s strong sense of justice lands him in jail. Because of this, he has trouble keeping a job, which means he can’t pay child support and ultimately, this drives him straight back into crime.
Caught returning something he stole in an attempt to earn enough money to convince his ex-wife he is responsible enough to see their daughter, Scott tries to defend himself. Unfortunately, in doing this, he admits to his initial crime with the kind of unintentional honesty fans can relate to.
“Hi, I’m Scott.”
Ant-Man
In a world where superheroes are celebrities, it absolutely tracks that normal, everyday people would get a little tongue-tied in their presence. Though he himself has, in a way, entered their ranks with the Ant-Man suit, Scott doesn’t see himself as part of their elite team.
In one of the funniest lines in Scott’s MCU appearances, when Scott meets Sam Wilson’s Falcon, he subverts all audience expectations by unmasking and simply introducing himself rather than attempting to maintain his cover.
“Can I Go Back To Jail Now?”
Ant-Man
“I just have one question… Who are you, who is she, what the hell is going on here, and can I go back to jail now?”
Getting thrown into a new world can be incredibly jarring, and a character’s reaction to such situations tells the audience a lot about them. When faced with a literal army of torture ants, the dysfunctional Hope and Hank Pym, and human shrinking technology, Scott doesn’t try to play it cool.
In a moment reminiscent of an elementary school classroom, he raises his hand, attempts to get all the information, then essentially asks for an excused absence in one of the funniest instances of a hero’s initial rejection of their call to action.
“I Think Our First Move Should Be Calling The Avengers.”
Ant-Man
Worried about the effects agreeing to help Hank Pym might have on his situation with his daughter, Cassie Lang, Scott spends a lot of time trying to get out of the heist. Aware of his own limitations, he even offers up solutions to their problem by suggesting they go to the Avengers for help.
Not only does this line get a great laugh, but it plugs potential plot holes and adds another layer of tension to the story by showing Hank’s disdain for Howard Stark and his refusal to work with SHIELD.
“You Guys Are Breaking Down Walls, You’re Healing.”
Ant-Man
“This is awesome. It’s awesome. You know, you guys are breaking down walls, you’re healing. It’s important.”
Though he is smart, strong, and often snarky, Scott also appreciates the value of vulnerability. Witnessing Hope and Hank finally have a healing conversation, Scott can’t help but provide commentary on their relationship-restoring moment.
His encouragement — though a little awkward — showcases Scott’s support for his new MCU friends to reconcile and further underscores his desire to maintain a good relationship with his own daughter.
“Hey! I Know You Too! You’re Great!”
Captain America: Civil War
Even when Scott is called in to help one-half of a broken Avengers team, he loses none of his enthusiasm or honesty. Starstruck in the presence of Captain America and his barrage of inspirational quotes, he shakes the hero’s hand way too long, rambling in a way many fans resonate with. Rather than trying to play it cool, he calls himself out on it.
Then, in one of the most hilarious and heartfelt moments in Civil War, Scott fanboys over Wanda. After all the hatred she experiences in the third installment of Captain America, his verbal affirmation of her awesomeness is wildly refreshing.
“Thinks For Thanking Of Me!”
Captain America: Civil War
Keeping with his trend of finding himself somewhat tongue-tied when faced with the celebrity of a real-life Avenger, Scott stumbles over his words the first time he meets Captain America in person. After geeking out for a moment over meeting the hero, Scott attempts to pull it together by thanking Rogers for thinking of him, only to mix up a few crucial words in so doing.
Audiences have come to love Scott Lang over the years both for his unintentional humor and his relatability. No matter how long he’s been a superhero, he will always be the guy who gets flustered when he meets Captain America and is repeatedly mistaken for other bug-themed superheroes.
“Does Anyone Have Any Orange Slices?”
After bringing down the house in the iconic airport fight sequence in Civil War by turning into Giant-Man, Scott Lang finds himself defeated by the resourceful Spider-man and the other members of Team Iron Man. Strained from the pressure of expanding his own size, Scott humorously calls out for some orange slices.
Scott’s focus on replenishing his Vitamin C after expanding will always be memorable, but even more so the small background detail that certain eagle-eyed fans caught in Avengers: Endgame, when Scott can be seen rushing to bring Clint Barton a bowl of orange slices after his first trip back in time.
“We Look Like Ourselves At A Baseball Game.”
Ant-Man And The Wasp
“What? Because of hats and sunglasses? It’s not a disguise, Hank. We look like ourselves at a baseball game.”
Sometimes, what happens in movies makes no sense, particularly when characters simply go along with them. Scott, however, has absolutely no problem calling out the ridiculous or illogical. In Ant-Man and the Wasp, when he goes with Hank and Hope to find help in dealing with Ghost, the trio dons hats and sunglasses in an attempt to hide their identities. Though he participates, Scott doesn’t resist the opportunity to make fun of the idea.
This scene is particularly amusing considering how many other superheroes in the MCU have attempted the exact same “disguises.” It doesn’t matter that Scott is a huge Captain America fanboy. If he believes a tactic makes no sense, he’s going to say something about it.
“You Would Be An Awesome [Partner]…”
Ant-Man And The Wasp
“You would be an awesome [partner.] And if I let you, I would be a terrible dad.”
One of the best things about Scott is how much he cares about his family, which makes Ant-Man one of the best family-friendly superhero movies ever. In particular, his relationship with his daughter, Cassie, is one many fans find relatable. Though he makes a ton of mistakes — including, but not limited to getting thrown in jail and being put under house arrest — he always fights for his daughter.
Even when he’s squashing her dreams of being his superhero sidekick, Scott manages to build her up rather than discouraging her enthusiasm. Chances are, though, when Cassie does take her place at his side, he’s going to be her biggest fan as well.
“Nailed it!”
Ant-Man And The Wasp
Similar to Captain America, Scott has very little guile. Though he is an incredibly smart and clearly talented engineer, he doesn’t tend to fall into the arrogance other Avengers like Iron Man or Doctor Strange display.
After trying and failing different skills in an epic training musical montage, Scott finally starts succeeding, and he’s not afraid to celebrate. His enthusiasm stands in stark contrast to Hope and Hank’s more serious cynicism and even contributes to their ultimate reconciliation.
“You’re So Big!”
Avengers: Endgame
After spending five years trapped in the Quantum Realm, Scott Lang is finally freed, only to discover a world ravaged by Thanos’ snap. Scott desperately seeks out his daughter, finding her five years older than she had been when he last saw her. All he can manage to say is how big she’s gotten.
This scene proves to be one of the most emotional in the entire film, as Scott’s true love for his daughter is on full display in the midst of the tearful reunion. Viewers can see the thoughts going through his head as he realizes that he’s missed five years of his daughter’s life, only for the regret to wash away with thankfulness that they are together once more.
“I Lost Someone Very Important To Me… A Lot Of People Did.”
Avengers: Endgame
After discovering a world torn apart by the sudden disappearance of half its population, Scott becomes the driving force in the Avenger’s plot to pull off a Time Heist and reverse the Decimation. While attempting to convince Tony Stark to join them, Scott gives a brief speech about the world’s loss, alluding to those that he himself wants to get back.
This moment is quite serious for Scott Lang, who is typically portrayed as being more comedic. Such scenes are part of what made Endgame such a fantastic movie, as it allowed certain MCU characters, Scott included, to delve deeper into their emotions, becoming far more well-rounded as a result.
“Somebody Peed My Pants…”
Avengers: Endgame
While the Avengers attempt to invent time travel, Scott becomes their guinea pig, jumping in and out of the Quantum Realm during their tests. He emerges as a child, a baby, and an old man during their first catastrophic test, eventually complaining that one of his variants had peed his pants after he returned to normal.
This scene is pure chaos in the best way possible, as the Avengers quickly demonstrate how hopeless their cause is without Tony’s help. Scott’s sheepish remark only serves to further the scene’s humor, adding a bit of levity to an otherwise very somber film.
“So, Back to the Future’s Just Bulls***?”
Avengers: Endgame
Scott’s ability to question and provide commentary also means that he has no problem changing his mindset when necessary. Confronted with the fact that one of the best-known examples of time travel in cinema is completely ridiculous, Scott doesn’t mince words.
Instead, he expresses his disappointment and simultaneously breaks up some tension in an otherwise very stressful situation. With time travel being a particularly complicated storyline to work out, Scott’s humor gives voice to what many viewers are thinking.