Paul-Rudd-in-Talks-to-Lead-Ant-ManWord arrived this week that Paul Rudd was in negotiations with Marvel to lead Edgar Wright’s anticipated 2015 blockbuster, Ant-Man, and now it’s official.

A press release from Marvel reveals that Rudd has been cast as the eponymous hero, Hank Pym / Ant-Man, noting that the actor has long been the first choice for Wright and the studio.

Speaking about the casting, Marvel’s President of Production Kevin Feige said,

“When Edgar Wright came to us with the idea of Paul Rudd, we felt a huge sense of relief because the first step in creating any Marvel Studios film is finding the right star. We knew early on that we had found the right person in Paul. When he not only agreed to do it but became as enthusiastic as any actor we’d ever met with about doing the work, we knew we’d found the right guy. We couldn’t be more excited for our audiences to see what he’s going to do to bring Ant-Man to life.”

Wright will be directing from a script he’s co-written with Joe Cornish (Attack the Block), with the writer-director developing the project since before Iron Man launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe back in 2008.

We always knew that, under Wright’s direction, Ant-Man was going to be funny, and casting Rudd in the lead just cements that anticipation even further. Best known for his comedy work in the likes of This Is 40, Anchorman, and Dinner for Schmucks, not to mention Friends, the actor is currently in cinemas reprising his role as Brian Fontana in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, and will be heading to Sundance next month in David Wain’s They Came Together, alongside Cobie Smulders and Michael Shannon.

I can’t think of a single thing I’ve seen of Rudd’s work that I haven’t loved, and am so stoked to see what he brings to the role under Wright’s direction.

Ant-Man will be hitting cinemas on July 31st, 2015, marking the opening of Phase Three in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

 

Marvel’s “Ant-Man” has found its hero in Paul Rudd, who will star in the new film from director Edgar Wright hitting theaters July 31, 2015!

The casting of Rudd represents the actor that Marvel and Wright had long ago identified as its first choice to play Ant-Man, continuing the studio’s desire to cast actors that bring several dimensions to its onscreen heroes. The film’s plot is being kept under wraps.

“When Edgar Wright came to us with the idea of Paul Rudd, we felt a huge sense of relief because the first step in creating any Marvel Studios film is finding the right star,” said Marvel’s Kevin Feige. “We knew early on that we had found the right person in Paul. When he not only agreed to do it but became as enthusiastic as any actor we’d ever met with about doing the work, we knew we’d found the right guy. We couldn’t be more excited for our audiences to see what he’s going to do to bring Ant-Man to life.”

Rudd brings a diverse background to the role having become one of the industry’s most known actors with a reputation for smart, funny and creative performances. Rudd can currently be seen in “Anchor Man 2: The Legend Continues,” as well as past roles in “Anchorman,” “This Is 40,” “I Love You, Man,” “Role Models,” “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” “Our Idiot Brother,” “Knocked Up,” and “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” among numerous other films, television shows and primetime animation.

In addition to “Ant-Man,” Marvel Studios will release a slate of films based on the Marvel characters including “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” on April 4, 2014; “Guardians of the Galaxy” on August 1, 2014; and “Avengers: Age of Ultron” on May 1, 2015.