Ant-Man Edgar Wright's Ant-Man

[chamber-music]

If Kevin Feige and Marvel don't want to make a Ant-Man movie they don't have to. I've never heard of a movie contract where a studio has to make a movie that they don't want to other than the Corman Fantastic Four movie which was made to keep the rights to the character. Marvel don't have that problem.

No one other than the Marvel/Disney guys have seen the drafts of Wright and Cornish script. They must have something to keep the intrest of the Feige and the studio for over these years because I don't think Marvel would waste their time if they didn't think there was something bankable there.

I know some people think Ant-Man/Giant-Man/Hank Pym is a joke character which will flop if its made into a movie and don't want to see it get made but I think there is potential.

Its not impossible in my opinon to think that the film can be successful depending on what approach to the character and the source material.

 

[Son of Coul]

Also Feige and Wright have often had meetings over the project and seem to be on very friendly terms based on their interviews. Feige recently claimed he e-mails Edgar every couple days to get updates from him on when they can start and how far along he is, etc. I think it's been more about how busy Wright has been in recent years. To me, Ant-Man feels like it's on Wright's back burner moreso than Feige's.

 

[chamber-music]

I think Feige and Wright don't want to rush it as well, they want to take their time to get the best script possible because they know they may get only one shot at this movie.

 

[Son of Coul]

Indeed, there are probably few superheroes more delicate than Ant-Man in terms of selling a movie adaptation to a wide audience.

 

[HeyBear]

Indeed, there are probably few superheroes more delicate than Ant-Man in terms of selling a movie adaptation to a wide audience.

It's been said many times before, but this above quote is the honest truth. There are a large number of characters who just don't initially come across as having the potential to translate well to film, and Ant Man is certainly one of the names on that list. That doesn't mean that it can't work, but it will definitely take a lot of time and careful planning.

If I mention the idea of an Ant Man film, the response that I receive from most people is laughter. Those chuckles are coming equally from people who know the character and people who don't. When I follow it by saying that it may be made by the guy who did Shawn of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, they seem to warm up a bit. I think it's safe to say that most people are immediately thinking comedy when it comes to Ant Man.

 

[marcvader]

I would just tell people they're making a Hank Pym movie.

 

[HeyBear]

I would just tell people they're making a Hank Pym movie.

Interestingly enough, when I first heard that Edgar Wright was involved with an Ant Man film, I just assumed that it would be Scott Lang. Wasn't he the more comical one?

In retrospect, I don't know how I thought that made any sense at all considering everything was building to Avengers.

 

[marcvader]

No one really knows for certain but I always assume it's Pym.

 

[HeyBear]

I actually meant Eric O'Grady instead of Scott Lang. I'm pretty sure that he was the comical Ant Man. Hank Pym is the only Ant Man with whom I am really all that familiar.

 

[DrCosmic]

I'm still haven't heard any indication he dropped the 1960s spy angle, or that it's set up for Pym to be in the MCU/Avengers.

It's been said many times before, but this above quote is the honest truth. There are a large number of characters who just don't initially come across as having the potential to translate well to film, and Ant Man is certainly one of the names on that list. That doesn't mean that it can't work, but it will definitely take a lot of time and careful planning.

If I mention the idea of an Ant Man film, the response that I receive from most people is laughter. Those chuckles are coming equally from people who know the character and people who don't. When I follow it by saying that it may be made by the guy who did Shawn of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, they seem to warm up a bit. I think it's safe to say that most people are immediately thinking comedy when it comes to Ant Man.

Also Agreed. Ant-Man has to earn the audience's admiration, not just for his character, but for his powers. The more cleverly he uses them, the better. Of course, with the rumors of some of his other inventions figuring in the script, I almost can't imagine how it's going to turn out. But four drafts of Edgar Wright sounds like it'll be as awesome as humanly possible.

 

[HeyBear]

But four drafts of Edgar Wright sounds like it'll be as awesome as humanly possible.

I have personally enjoyed everything that I've seen of EW's, so I do have faith in him knowing what he's doing with this project. I agree... I'm expecting a lot of awesome.

 

[chamber-music]

Ant-Man in the original draft would feature both Hank Pym and Scott Lang. It was not a comedy it would of had the same tone as Marvel studios other movie i.e action adventure, science fiction and comedy elements like Iron Man, Thor ect.

It would been more of a spy movie.


Edgar Wright said

Wright told Empire magazine that a second draft of the script was being written. Known for being a comedic writer, the director noted that the film would not be overtly comedic, but that it would be "more of a full-on action adventure sci-fi film but with a comedic element," and that it would not be a spoof. He confirmed that the film portrays both Henry Pym, as the original 1960s character from "Tales to Astonish", and Scott Lang as his 1980s/1990s successor in the Ant-Man role.

I had a copy of the Tales to Astonish comic from the early 60s, which has his origin story. And I've been a fan ever since. I think it's a really interesting high-concept idea. [...] I know there's a big stigma attached to it, mostly because every movie about shrinking has been about people in peril. I think it'd be great to do a shrinking film about a bad-ass secret agent. [...] Even something like The Incredible Shrinking Man, which is a fantastic film, is about a guy in trouble. But this is going to be nothing like that. It's essentially a high-tech spy heist film with somebody with a very particular power.

I'm not sure if the original concept has changed through the numerous drafts. Wright says the story is very character-driven, and a new twist on an origins story. As part of his writing he researched nanotechnology. http://marvel-movies.wikia.com/wiki/Ant-Man_(film)#cite_note-coventry-3

Edgar Wright met Kevin Feige a couple months ago after the Avengers Premier in London to discuss Ant-Man. Wright showed him some concept art apperantly.

Do people think Ant-Man will be a comedy because of Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish because none of the three Ant-Men (Pym, Lang or O'Grady) have been comedic superheroes.

 

[HeyBear]

Do people think Ant-Man will be a comedy because of Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish because none of the three Ant-Men (Pym, Lang or O'Grady) have been comedic superheroes.

Oh really? I have never read any of the O'Grady Ant Man series, but I was always under the impression that it was supposed to be comedic.

As far as asking why people think Ant Man will be a comedy... I think that mostly comes down to the fact that a superhero called Ant Man is just kinda funny. The fact that Edgar Wright is attached probably doesn't help.

 

[cherokeesam]

Yeah, O'Grady is definitely played for laughs.
Of the three Ant-Men (Pym, Lang, and O'Grady), Lang's really is the most emotional and cinematic (daddy takes up a life of crime to pay for his dying daughter's medical bills), so I understand why Joe & Ed chose to focus on him as their core hero....at least in the earliest drafts.

I still think this could work with *both* Pym and Lang, as Wright apparently intended, by making Pym an aged baby-boomer and Lang a 30-something Gen-Xer. It would create an interesting dynamic in the Avengers franchise (assuming both Pym and Lang get the call) that has never been explored before in the series, but I think it would be cool to have Lang retain his more standard role of Ant-Man in the Avengers and Pym as a crotchety old scientist in Giant-Man/Goliath gear. He could even have a May-December with a young Janet Van Dyne.

 

[marcvader]

Yes, they could in essence have a Reed/Sue type of dynamic in the MCU since we are lacking the real one.

 

[Hawkingbird]

I'd like both Pym and Lang in the Ant-Man movie.

 

[chiefchirpa]

Pym, Janet Dyne -> romantic relationship
Lang, Cassandra Lang -> father-daughter relationship

 

[Raiden]

If Wright still intends to set the movie in the 60's for Pym and then in the modern era for Lang, then I don't see how the Pyms can join the Avenger unless they get the Super Soldier serum and still youthful after 50 years.

 

[BatsDC]

I'm hoping it isn't set in the 60s. I'd like Ant Man and Wasp to become heroes at similar times to the other Avengers and operate at the same time.

 

[The Guard]

If this was partially set in the 60's, what are the odds Howard Stark would make an appearance? Do they have any connections in the comics?

 

[Dethklokx7]

Personally Id like Pym and have the suit make him change to Ant/Giant man. Also with Pym we get Wasp and the possiblity of Ultron. I have no problem with Lang but to me Pym offers more

 

[terry78]

Wright would definitely take jabs at the whole self-deprecation thing and how Pym is pretty much viewed as a butt monkey, regardless of his genius.

 

[cherokeesam]

If Wright still intends to set the movie in the 60's for Pym and then in the modern era for Lang, then I don't see how the Pyms can join the Avenger unless they get the Super Soldier serum and still youthful after 50 years.

I don't think any of the drafts were actually *set* in the 1960s, although it's possible. Instead, the story was set in modern times, but focused on Scott Lang stealing the Ant-Man uniform/helmet from the house of an aged Hank Pym, who *used* to be the superhero Ant-Man back in the 1960s, but apparently has been "off the shelf" for decades. IIRC. So old Pym, young Lang.

The one thing that troubles me about the whole Ant-Man scenario is something that all of us in Fanboy Land seem to be taking for granted, but might be far, far off the mark.....and that is the nonexistence of Wasp and Giant-Man. A lot of us, self included, seem to think that Giant-Man/Goliath and Wasp are pretty much a given, and that it's pretty much a given that they're being groomed for The Avengers franchise. But NOWHERE has Wright mentioned either of them. As far as we know from the draft leaks so far, this is simply a standalone "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot", "Spy Games" type movie about an old hero taking a young hero under his wing and mentoring him. Nothing more, nothing less.

I certainly *hope* that's changed, and Marvel has impressed upon Wright the need to involve these characters, but I frankly don't think they have (or will), nor would Wright be particularly open to them changing *his* story for the sake of fandom and canon.

 

[marcvader]

While I really want the Pyms we know be part of the Avengers I am really intrigued by Wright's take as well.

 

[DarkSovereignty]

same here, I'm not particularly attached to the character so I won't be terribly wounded if Wright does his own thing, I honestly couldn't care less about ant man, my interest in this project is solely rooted to Wright's involvement. and the hope that he can also score joe cornish a a directing gig at marvel as well.