Marvel enthusiasts got excited when writer/director Edgar Wright suggested the storyline and concept clips from Ant-Man, which hinted at an action-packed film fused with comedy about one of Marvel’s popular superheroes. Despite Wright’s departure, Pual Rudd continued with the role of Scott Lang under Peyton Reed’s direction. However, before Rudd joined the franchise, there were other actors running for the role.
Several actors were considered for the lead role and other significant roles of OG Ant-Man Hank Pym, the WASP, and Hope van Dyne. Some choices were pretty unconventional, while others seemed like an apt choice.
Paul Rudd Faced Tough Competition For The Role
There were reports in late 2013 that the role came down to two actors: Paul Rudd and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who is known for his roles in The Dark Knight Rises and Inception. Edgar Wright, already had a script in the works, collaborating with co-writer Joe Cornish, aimed for a more relatable character, which isn’t muscular characters like Thor and Captain America. Interestingly, Joseph Gordon-Levitt was also considered for a role in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Simon Pegg, known for Mission: Impossible franchise, was also considered for the role.
According to MCU: The Reigns of Marvel Studios:
“In October 2013, Marvel set a July 2015 release date for Ant-Man, saying that the movie would kick off Phase Three of the MCU, and began casting. Simon Pegg, Wright’s frequent collaborator, was rumored to be up for the lead, as was Armie Hammer (The Social Network). The final decision, however, came down to Paul Rudd and Joseph Gordon-Levitt Un-ception).”
Although Joseph Gordon-Levitt has denied being on the shortlist, Marvel was willing to cast him as Scott Lang, as the studio wanted some young blood in the Avengers. Rudd, whose career kicked off in 1995 with Clue-less, was 12 years older than Gordon-Levitt, but Wright wanted to cast Rudd, seeing in him the same sense of sensitivity, likability, and comic timing that defined the director’s previous lead characters.
Ant-Man 3’s Performance Shocked The Studio
After the success of Avengers: Endgame, the MCU underwent a big overhaul. Almost every project, whether it was a film or a Disney+ show, received a blend of positive and negative reviews, mostly due to a lack of noticeable characters and subpar visuals. It’s evident that the quality of MCU content has gone down due to a series of unfortunate creative decisions.
The Watch podcast featuring Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald suggested that Marvel Studios had high hopes for Ant-Man 3. However, they were taken aback by the reviews the film received from reviewers and fans alike. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania concluded its theatrical run with $476 million.
Unlike most of MCU’s endeavors, the Paul Rudd film fell into the category that failed to impress the audience. Moreover, the film did not succeed in establishing Kang the Conqueror as a worthy successor to Thanos.
