T.I.’s Omission From ‘Ant-Man 3’ Amid Scandal Has Fans and Critics Sounding Off

Rapper-turned-actor T.I. will not return for Ant-Man 3, and social media is stunned. T.I. is facing extreme allegations of sexual harassment, sexual assault, and even kidnapping. For some Marvel Studios fans, the first they heard of it was the news that he would be missing from the next movie.

T.I. — whose real name is Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. — played Dave, a member of Scott Lang’s (Paul Rudd) crew in both Ant-Man (2015) and Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018). On Monday, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that he would not be reprising his role in the upcoming Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, due to these allegations. According to a report by CBS News, Harris and his wife, Tameka “Tiny” Harris, have been accused of intimidating, drugging and sexually assaulting at least 11 people between 2005 and 2018. The alleged victims include 10 women and one man.

So far, Harris and his wife have denied these allegations, but they will soon be facing criminal investigations in multiple states. Their attorney, Steve Sadow, told reporters: “Blackburn repeatedly refused to provide the names of his accuser-clients or any corroborating or supporting evidence of his groundless claims. The Harrises repeat that they are confident if a thorough and fair investigation is conducted, no charges will be brought.”

While the legal authorities decide how to move forward with these allegations, they have already impacted the casting for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Here is a look at what social media is saying about this shocking news.

This Far

Considering the scope of the allegations against him, some questioned why T.I. was able to make it this far without being fired and blacklisted. They assumed that a scandal of this size could not have stayed secret for long.

Luis’ Recap

Fans figured that Michael Peña’s character Luis would explain Dave’s absence in excruciating detail when the time comes. As long as he is there, the rest of the crew did not interest them as much.

Disinterest

Others cared even less about the absence of this minor character, commenting that they thought T.I. had brought little to the franchise.

Recast

Some fans wondered whether T.I.’s role would be recast and, if so, with whom? However, none had particularly strong feelings about replacing the actor.

Innocent

Some users wondered what would happen next if it turned out that T.I. was legitimately innocent. They thought he should have some recourse to sue Marvel Studios for lost income, though others pointed out how strong the case against him appears to be.

Daughter

Many users brought up another concerning story about T.I. — his November 2019 comment about hiring a gynecologist to perform a “virginity test” on his teenage daughter. They thought that this alone should have been grounds to have him fired from the franchise.

Disappointing but Understandable

Finally, many commenters had simply mixed feelings of disappointment and understanding all at once. They said that it made sense that T.I. should not return to the franchise, but that they would miss his character all the same.

At the time of this writing, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is scheduled for release in 2022 as part of the MCU’s “Phase Four.”