In Marvel’s Ant-Man, Paul Rudd plays jailbird-turned-superhero Scott Lang, who has the power to shrink himself and control his six-legged namesakes, thanks to gear designed by inventor Hank Pym (Michael Douglas). But Lang’s armor is positively pacifist compared with the more advanced suit worn by the nefarious Darren Cross, a.k.a. Yellowjacket (Corey Stoll). “Hank Pym’s Ant-Man suit doesn’t have a single weapon,” says director Peyton Reed (Yes Man), “whereas Yellowjacket is armed with plasma cannons.”
That would make the first big showdown between the foes, pictured here, a decided mismatch, right? Maybe not. “Ant-Man is very fast when he’s small,” he says. “Also, when he shrinks, he increases his density, so he’s got increased strength.” (Not to mention that ant-whispering power, which plays a crucial role in Lang’s attempt to steal Yellowjacket’s garb.)
To film this encounter, the costars wore motion-capture suits and were shot separately. “It was a new experience as far as the motion-capture-suit-ness of it,” says Rudd, who is better known on screen for cracking wise than cracking heads. “But none of it feels that different. Every part, I’m pretending to be somebody I’m not. It’s all just a big lie!”
Speaking of untruths, Reed insists Internet reports that he recently reshot some of the film are just that. “I love turning on the computer in the morning and reading the things that I did the day before—that I didn’t do!” he says. “We are going to do a little bit of additional photography, but we have not done any yet. It’s minor stuff.” To sum up: Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill. Or an anthill.
Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, con-man 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. Directed by Peyton Reed, Ant-Man stars Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Corey Stoll, Evangeline Lilly, David Dastmalchian, Michael Pena, Bobby Cannavale, Abby Ryder Fortson, Judy Greer, Wood Harris, John Slattery and Gregg Turkington with multi-hyphenate T.I., and the film opens July 17, 2015
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