Ant-Man 3 sees Bill Murray making his debut in a superhero movie. But who is the strange character he plays in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and how does he connect to the comics?
Bill Murray is one of the few Hollywood A-listers who hasn’t appeared in a superhero movie. The closest he has come thus far is dressing up as Superman on Saturday Night Live.
Ivan Reitman wanted him for a Batman movie in the 1980s, though that never came to fruition. While he has appeared in superhero-adjacent films like Ghostbusters, Space Jam, and Osmosis Jones.
But Bill Murray has never done a full-on comic book movie. Until now…
Who does Bill Murray play in Ant-Man 3?
Bill Murray plays a character called Krylar in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Krylar is a character that our heroes meet while journeying through the Quantum Realm.
According to an official press release, “Lord Krylar is the governor of Axia, a bizarre and cushy community within the Quantum Realm.
“Call him cowardly or self-centered, Krylar unapologetically enjoys the high life his status grants him – expensive meals, exotic cocktails and top-notch transportation aboard his huge pleasure yacht. It seems he and Janet [van Dyne] are old acquaintances – but the details are vague, and she’d like to keep it that way.”
Who is Krylar in the comics?
Krylar first appeared in The Incredible Hulk #156 in 1972, and was the ‘Steward of Assassins’ on the Isle of Assassins.
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Krylar possessed a weapon that could make flesh the embodiment of an opponent’s deepest fears. Which in turn was used to make Hulk do battle with Savage Hulk.
So while the comic book iteration doesn’t sound much like this movie version, his history with Hulk means their characters could connect in a future project. So Ant-Man 3 might not be the last we see of Bill Murray in the MCU.
How does Krylar fit into the Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania plot?
Speaking of Krylar, director Peyton Reed told Entertainment Weekly: “Bill Murray plays a character from Janet van Dyne’s past. It’s a crucial role. A big theme in this movie is the things that parents and kids don’t say to each other, the secrets that they keep in families.
“In the last movie, when Hank and Hope rescue Janet, Evangeline Lilly’s character had this idea of: Oh, I’m going to be reunited with my mom, this is going to be great, we’re going to talk about everything. But what happens if the other person, in this case Janet, puts up a wall and maybe is not comfortable talking about certain things and doesn’t reveal certain things about her past?
“As we know from great stories, you can put the past behind you, but the past will always find a way to show up again. Bill’s character represents that in this movie.”
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is in cinemas now, and you can check out more of our coverage below…
Ant-Man 3 review | Ending explained | Quantumania characters and cast | Who is Kang the Conqueror? | Ant-Man 3 Easter Eggs | Darren Cross as MODOK explained | Has Kang already killed an Avenger? | Who is Victor Timely? | Bill Murray’s character explained | What is the Quantum Realm? | Post-credit scenes explained | Will there be an Ant-Man 4? | All the Marvel movies in order
