Ant-Man The Official Ant-Man News and Speculation Thread - Part 1

[Dr. Evil]

Marvel gave Wright time to finish his Cornetto trilogy, so the fact that they gave him a lot of freedom in regards to Ant Man is a good sign.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

and i think it's redundant because the Wasp shrinks. Do you have a problem with Janet also showing up in an Avengers movie and growing to giant size?

Shrinking is both of their powerset, and belonged to Pym before it did the Wasp. I have no problem with a couple who is able to shrink, and Pym would set himself apart by also being able to grow in size as well as shrink. Just like I have no problem with having Iron Man and War Machine. I can do without Janet growing to giant size. Unnecessary.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

Ant-Man exists because of Stan Lee and Larry Lieber. it was adapted from an earlier story, in which another person was shrunken and had to fight his way out of an anthill. that character could have been anyone.

Now you're getting too technical, and missing the point. Endeavor was saying that without Pym, there would be no Ant-Man. And that is 100% true, because how does he shrink? Pym Particles, which, you guessed it-- Pym created.

 

[Ant-manic]

Now you're getting too technical, and missing the point. Endeavor was saying that without Pym, there would be no Ant-Man. And that is 100% true, because how does he shrink? Pym Particles, which, you guessed it-- Pym created.

probably. i'm just really tired of having to defend Scott Lang's place in Ant-Man history. he's Ant-Man. has been for a long long time. it's just as disrespectful to exclude Scott from the movie as Hank; especially if they are using Scott's origin story as a model.

 

[Ant-manic]

Shrinking is both of their powerset, and belonged to Pym before it did the Wasp. I have no problem with a couple who is able to shrink, and Pym would set himself apart by also being able to grow in size as well as shrink. Just like I have no problem with having Iron Man and War Machine. I can do without Janet growing to giant size. Unnecessary.

see? see the double standard? you don't want Jan to grow because it makes Hank less special. that's how i feel about Hank being both Ant-Man and Giant-Man. it's greedy. Scott's Ant-Man. Hank can do whatever he wants with his powers; as long as he's Giant-Man. but he's stepping on other people's toes when he calls himself Ant-Man. it'd be one thing if there were meant to be multiple Ant-men. but that goes right out the window the moment you have "Pym set himself apart by also being able to grow in size." Scott can grow in size. but he doesn't. shrinking is his specialty. it's how he operates.

 

[ThePowerCosmic]

probably. i'm just really tired of having to defend Scott Lang's place in Ant-Man history. he's Ant-Man. has been for a long long time. it's just as disrespectful to exclude Scott from the movie as Hank; especially if they are using Scott's origin story as a model.

Even though I'd rather Hank take the spotlight as Ant-Man, at least for the first movie, I do understand where you're coming from. Especially if they are going with the "To Steal an Ant-Man" story.

see? see the double standard? you don't want Jan to grow because it makes Hank less special. that's how i feel about Hank being both Ant-Man and Giant-Man. it's greedy. Scott's Ant-Man. Hank can do whatever he wants with his powers; as long as he's Giant-Man. but he's stepping on other people's toes when he calls himself Ant-Man. it'd be one thing if there were meant to be multiple Ant-men. but that goes right out the window the moment you have "Pym set himself apart by also being able to grow in size." Scott can grow in size. but he doesn't. shrinking is his specialty. it's how he operates.

I see your point. As long as Hank can shrink and grow, I'm fine with him calling himself Giant Man.

 

[Ant-manic]

could you imagine how ridiculous the hype would have gotten if, both, Paul Rudd and Joseph Gordon-Levitt had gotten roles in this movie? there'd be at least 3 different sets of fans (w/ some overlap of course) possibly interested in it.

 

[Kirk Langstrom]

Ant-Man exists because of Stan Lee and Larry Lieber. it was adapted from an earlier story, in which another person was shrunken and had to fight his way out of an anthill. that character could have been anyone.

But it wasn't anyone. It was Hank Pym.

 

[chamber-music]

I don't get the Ant-Man/Giant-Man isn't powerful enough to be on the Avengers talk. Besides their powers Pym and Lang have shown numerous times in the comics suing their intellect and strategic skills to take down villains more powerful than themselves which is what what most superheroes do be they Batman, Captain America, Spider-Man and so on.

Right now in the FF comics Scott Lang has a elaborate plan to rescue the power pack kids parents and defeat Doctor Doom. Pym going back to the silver age 60's comics has used plans and strategy to defeat supervillains.

Scott Lang is an electronics genius who has worked for Stark International before he was a criminal, so he's still something. Not Hank Pym smart, but he's smart.

He worked for Stark after he got out prison unless there is some retcon I have not read.

I just think it's cooler having Pym who can both shrink and increase his size. Not one or the other.

Agreed

Its far more useful for him to have full access to his size changing powers than just one or the other. I wouldn't mind if Ant-Man uses and communicates with other insects like both Pym and Janet have done in the comics.

I like Pym and Lang as does Edgar Wright. I don't think this is a either or situation regarding Pym and Lang.

I think Edgar is going to use both of them. I think you can make a movie with Pym becoming Ant-Man while Lang simultaneously gets out of prison and starts doing burglary to get money for his daughters medical bills. The two can cross paths and team up like Edgar has talked about with Pym using Langs knowledge of security systems and burglary to carry out a heist while Lang uses Pym's Ant-Man gear to do it and knowledge of nano-technology.

 

[cherokeesam]

It doesn't work.

It's like the first Iron Man movie being about Stark battling alcoholism already in his life and then giving his suit over to Rhoadey.

It's like the first Captain America movie, we kill off Steve Rogers and Bucky becomes Cap.

Good stories, but they're not giving justice to the overall arc of the character. Start with Pym. If they're so bent on Lang, bring him in LATER. But you can't have the first AntMan movie and have Pym old having been AntMan for 30 years (how does this fit with the MCU? Fury didn't know about him? Really?). It's like stepping into Act 2 of a 3 Act story.

Pym first. Scott later.

Having Pym as Giant-Man and Lang as Ant-Man *does* work because, you know, that's the way it actually worked in the Avenger comics for several decades. One's a shrinker, one's a grower ---- good separation of powersets there, even though they're drawing from the same model.

The actual mechanics of Pym Particles don't require a whole movie to explain. Even the kiddies in the audience can keep up with this after a brief exposition --- scientist discovers a way to shrink and/or grow to superhuman sizes. Okay, got it--- what's next?

So Wright chose to focus on Lang's personal story instead of Pym's, because the drama writes itself: good-hearted criminal steals superhero suit, tries to use it to steal enough money to pay for his dying daughter's life-saving operation. It's a lot more cinematic and engrossing than scientist shrinking himself and learning to live with ants.

 

[chamber-music]

Edgar Wright talked with CultBox and hinted at Marvel comics that may have influenced the script he co-wrote with Joe Cornish.

“I had two issues as a kid, one of them was a reprint of ‘Tales to Astonish 27’ featuring ‘The Man in the Ant-Hill’” said Wright. “So I had a copy of that, and then later I had ‘Marvel Premiere 47’ which was the first appearance of Scott Lang. So it was funny that I had both those issues, and I particularly thought ‘The Man in the Ant-Hill’ was something extremely odd and cool and it almost had a horror movie feel to it.”

I think the prologue could be The Man in the Ant-Hill with the rest of the film being To Steal An Ant-Man/The Price Of A Heart with some other stuff thrown in.

 

[Huddsy]

Having Pym as Giant-Man and Lang as Ant-Man *does* work because, you know, that's the way it actually worked in the Avenger comics for several decades. One's a shrinker, one's a grower ---- good separation of powersets there, even though they're drawing from the same model.

The actual mechanics of Pym Particles don't require a whole movie to explain. Even the kiddies in the audience can keep up with this after a brief exposition --- scientist discovers a way to shrink and/or grow to superhuman sizes. Okay, got it--- what's next?

So Wright chose to focus on Lang's personal story instead of Pym's, because the drama writes itself: good-hearted criminal steals superhero suit, tries to use it to steal enough money to pay for his dying daughter's life-saving operation. It's a lot more cinematic and engrossing than scientist shrinking himself and learning to live with ants.

I understand that, and have read the comics. What I'm saying is that the story of Lang becoming Ant-Man and Pym as Giant-Man is more of a second chapter than a first chapter. You're cutting off the real origin.

Just like if you came in half-way through Iron Man to when Stark's an alcoholic and Rhoadey takes up his mantle for him.

 

[Ant-manic]

I understand that, and have read the comics. What I'm saying is that the story of Lang becoming Ant-Man and Pym as Giant-Man is more of a second chapter than a first chapter. You're cutting off the real origin.

the problem is that Pym's origin isn't really movie length. he accidentally shrinks himself and winds up in an ant-hill. it's something that can easily be told in the first 5-10 minutes of a movie. you focus on it any longer and you get into hackneyed "shrunken person in peril" territory. and Wright is on record as not wanting to go that route. people already think shrinking is a lame power. why drive it home by showing it as a handicap?

 

[Dark Raven]

the problem is that Pym's origin isn't really movie length. he accidentally shrinks himself and winds up in an ant-hill. it's something that can easily be told in the first 5-10 minutes of a movie. you focus on it any longer and you get into hackneyed "shrunken person in peril" territory. and Wright is on record as not wanting to go that route. people already think shrinking is a lame power. why drive it home by showing it as a handicap?

Pym could have other adventures. Iron Man's origin didn't last an entire movie either. Pym being in an anthill could just be like when Stark was experimenting with flight before he got the hang of it. It would just be a scene but he'd quickly get the hang of his powers and would no longer be in peril.

 

[Ant-manic]

Pym could have other adventures. Iron Man's origin didn't last an entire movie either. Pym being in an anthill could just be like when Stark was experimenting with flight before he got the hang of it. It would just be a scene but he'd quickly get the hang of his powers and would no longer be in peril.

of course. but look at it from Wright's perspective. would you rather create a new adventure for Pym (from wholecloth) or just use an Ant-man story that is custom made for this sort of thing? Pym really hasn't had many "great" solo adventures, as Ant-Man. and when i say "great" i mean "easily transitioned into live screen action." he's fought a guy named Porcupine, a dude in platform shoes, a magician, a cyclops, a tranny, a retiree, and a guy with an eggshaped head. the Cold War isn't all that relevant anymore, either.

 

[Xeno]

Edgar Wright talked with CultBox and hinted at Marvel comics that may have influenced the script he co-wrote with Joe Cornish.

I think the prologue could be The Man in the Ant-Hill with the rest of the film being To Steal An Ant-Man/The Price Of A Heart with some other stuff thrown in.

Wright owned only two Ant-Man comic books? That explains a lot.

 

[terry78]

haha

 

[Whiskey Tango]

Chris Nolan never read a Batman comic in his life and that worked out just fine. They don't have to be supernerds to make a good film.

 

[Ant-manic]

Chris Nolan never read a Batman comic in his life and that worked out just fine. They don't have to be supernerds to make a good film.

i'd say that owning two ant-man origin tales qualifies someone for nerd status. it's not like it was a handful of Punisher or Wolverine comics. it's certainly all he needs to make a good origin movie.

 

[Whiskey Tango]

Yeah I was just saying that being a pre-existing fan isn't a requirement for this sort of thing.

Although you have a point as I have a **** ton of comics but not a single Ant-Man one.

 

[Dark Raven]

I want to know if he specifically sought out the Man in the Ant Hill. It's not like it's an easy comic to come by but is more of a collector's issue. It would seem more like something he bought later than something he had when it came out at the time.

 

[terry78]

Wright was born in 1974, so he never would have had the first one.

 

[cherokeesam]

Wright was born in 1974, so he never would have had the first one.

He might've just read it online or in a modern TPB. It's not that hard to find classic, rare, or out-of-print issues in these days of digital comics and TPB anthologies.

 

[Dark Raven]

Ah, 1974, the year he began work on the first draft of his Ant-man script.

 

[Ant-manic]

Ah, 1974, the year he began work on the first draft of his Ant-man script.

i'm interested in who he would have cast, back then.