Ant-Man (film)

Ant-Man is an upcoming American superhero film, based on the Marvel Comics characters, Henry Pym and Scott Lang. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, the film is intended to be the twelfth installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Edgar Wright had been involved in the project as far back as 2006. He and Joe Cornish wrote the screenplay, while Wright was originally hired to also direct the film but left due to creative differences. In early June, Peyton Reed was then hired to replace Wright to direct the film. Ant-Man is scheduled to be released on July 17, 2015.

Synopsis
The next evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brings a founding member of The Avengers to the big screen for the first time with Marvel Studios’ “Ant-Man.” Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, master thief Scott Lang must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world.

Cast

 * Paul Rudd as Scott Lang / Ant-Man: A superhero who can change size via an invented substance and can communicate with insects.
 * Michael Douglas as Dr. Hank Pym: A scientist who invents the technology that makes Ant-Man's transformation possible and the original Ant-Man. Douglas compared his decision to join a superhero film to his role in Behind the Candelabra saying, "Sometimes—like [when] they didn't see you for Liberace—you've got to shake them up a little bit and have some fun."
 * Evangeline Lilly as Hope Pym: Hank Pym's daughter.
 * Abby Ryder Forston as Cassandra Lang: Scott Lang's daughter.
 * Corey Stoll as Darren Cross/Yellowjacket : A former protégé of Pym, who takes over Pym's company and acquire's Pym's technology to create the Yellowjacket suit.
 * David Dastmalchian as Kurt
 * Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter
 * John Slattery as Howard Stark
 * Stan Lee in a cameo role.

Development
Development of an Ant-Man film began as early as the late 1980s, when Ant-Man co-creator Stan Lee pitched the idea to New World Entertainment, Marvel Comics parent company at the time. However, Walt Disney Pictures was developing a film based on a similar concept, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, and although Ant-Man went into development, nothing came to fruition.

In April 2006, Marvel Studios hired Edgar Wright to direct Ant-Man as part of the company's first slate of independently produced films, buoyed by a $525 million revolving film-financing facility. Wright also signed to co-write the screenplay, based on a comic book series about an electronics expert who can shrink to the size of an insect and communicate with ants via a telepathic / cybernetic helmet, with his writing partner Joe Cornish and to co-produce the film with his Big Talk Productions partner, Nira Park. At the 2006 San Diego Comic-Con International, Wright said he was intrigued by the story's high concept and character.

Wright also stressed that the film will not be a spoof but an action-adventure with some comedic elements and would incorporate both the Henry Pym and Scott Lang incarnations of the character.

In February 2007, Wright said that the project was in "a holding pattern" while the script was being revised. He also said that he had been doing research for the film, stating "Obviously I can't interview anyone that's got shrinking serum, [but] in terms of who the characters are though – yeah. Nanotechnology and all that." In March 2008, Wright reported that the first draft of the script had been completed and he was working on the second.

In February 2010, Stan Lee tweeted that he met with Wright for lunch, writing "To make up for my previous grievous error, here's a little item that may have escaped you. Marvel is prepping a movie starring -- Ant-Man!". Lee continued, "I had lunch with the cool, young director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead) and, as you'd imagine, we had fun discussing the tiny hero".

Later in the week Wright told MTV News that there was no timetable for the film "Because that character isn't one of their biggest properties, it's not like a tentpole deadline ... It's more like me and [Marvel Studios president] Kevin Feige saying, 'Let's make a really good script.' We've always agreed on that — 'Let's make a good script that works, that's all about a great genre film, and that isn't necessarily relying on anything else' ". At the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con International, Wright said that his Ant-Man script is an origin story and would not fit in the chronology of the film The Avengers.

In January 2011, Wright stated that he has resumed writing the script for the film following the conclusion of the international promotion for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. In April 2011, screenwriter Joe Cornish said that he and Wright delivered the second draft of Ant-Man to Marvel. At the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con International, Wright said "Since February, we've done two drafts of the script, and we just handed in a third draft".

In May 2012, Feige said that the project was "as close as it's ever been" while Wright teased the film by tweeting a pictogram of Ant-Man. In June 2012, Wright spent just under a week shooting footage for a reel that would be used to test out the potential look and tone of his movie, as well as to decide how convincing Ant-Man's powers look on screen. At the 2012 San Diego Comic-Con International, Wright stated that Ant-Man would be happening and screened the test footage to the audience during the Marvel Studios panel. In October 2012, Marvel Studios and Disney scheduled the film for release on November 6, 2015.

In January 2013, Feige stated that Ant-Man would be part of Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In May 2013, Feige indicated that the screenplay needed to be modified in order to fit into the universe because the project had been in development before the first Iron Man film. Feige also stated that shooting was slated to begin sometime in 2014. In July 2013, Wright said that he and Cornish had completed the script for the film and that Marvel allowed him to delay its production so that he could complete The World's End. Casting is expected to begin towards the end of 2013.

In August 2013 after Joss Whedon, director of The Avengers: Age of Ultron, announced that Henry Pym would not be Ultron's creator, Wright said Ultron was never a part of the story of Ant-Man. Wright elaborated, "[Ultron] was never in my script. Because even just to sort of set up what Ant-Man does is enough for one movie", and described Ant-Man as a stand-alone film. He said it will fit into to the larger continuity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, explaining that "It is pretty standalone in the way we're linking it to the others.

I like to make it standalone because I think the premise of it needs time. I want to put the crazy premise of it into a real world, which is why I think Iron Man really works because it's a relatively simple universe; it's relatable. I definitely want to go into finding a streamlined format where you use the origin format to introduce the main character and further adventures can bring other people into it." Also in August, Wright stated that pre-production for Ant-Man would begin in October and filming would begin in 2014. On September 9, 2013, Disney moved the film's release date from November 6, 2015 to July 31, 2015.

Pre-production
In October 2013, Wright tweeted a photograph from the production of the June 2012 test reel with the caption, "Now I'm back in LA, it's high time to finish a little something I've been working on." Later in the month, Variety reported that Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Paul Rudd were front-runners being considered for the lead role. Gordon-Levitt responded to the report, saying, "There are always rumors. I talk a lot about my future projects, so if you haven't heard me talk about it, it means it's nothing but a rumor." Also in October, Kevin Feige stated that Ant-Man will be a "heist movie" and to expect a casting announcement for Hank Pym before the end of 2013. He also stated that production is expected to begin in mid-2014. In November 2013, Feige confirmed that aspects of Eric O'Grady's Ant-Man would not be featured in the film.

On May 23, 2014, it was announced that Wright had left the project due to creative differences. On June 7, 2014, it was announced that Peyton Reed would be directing, with Adam McKay helming the script. The film will still remain on schedule for July 17, 2015.