When Bring It On director Peyton Reed took over Ant-Man for Marvel Studios, he inherited a production that was 75% in place. Sure, he’s getting a new screenwriter in Adam McKay. But Reed has his cast in place… because before they were "his" cast, they were hand picked by departed director Edgar Wright – and some of the actors remain a little upset by Wright’s departure.
Michael Douglas is a two-time Oscar winner and a bona-fide Hollywood icon who agreed to lend his support to the growing Marvel Cinematic Universe by playing Hank Pym in Edgar Wright’s planned Ant-Man. Now that he has a new director at the helm, Douglas was asked by Schmoes Know reporter Alicia Malone how he felt about the switch, and the candid superstar didn’t pull punches. Douglas was promoting the film And So It Goes, but said about Ant-Man:
"I was, very disappointed. I’m a big fan of his movies [and] it’s a very disappointing situation. … [This] happened very late in the game [and] I don’t think anybody’s quite recovered. My heart goes out to Edgar. He’s been involved with the project for a long time, but he’s talented enough that you’ll be hearing a whole lot from him, and I’m sure with a little vengeance."
Give Douglas a listen, if you want to hear the inflection. It’s not as sinister or angry as you might have imagined:
Let’s remember that Edgar Wright hasn’t passed away. He merely left a project that changed directions without his consent. And yes, we fully expect him to be back on a different project very soon.
The Ant-Man cast, on the other hand, is a different scenario. So many of us talk about the fact that we didn’t necessarily want to just see Ant-Man. We wanted to see Edgar Wright’s Ant-Man. And I wonder if an actor of Michael Douglas’ caliber – who is 69, and doesn’t sign up for every movie under the sun – agreed to play Hank Pym in a superhero movie because he clicked with the director. Has that chemistry been dissolved now? Is this why Adam McKay was brought in as a screenwriter? To appease current Ant-Man star Paul Rudd?
Michael Douglas is disappointed. The fan base is disappointed. Marvel got a director – and our own Eric Eisenberg says all will be OK – but the skeptics will hold the upper hand until we start to see Ant-Man footage. Possibly a trailer. A great movie can wipe the messy slate clean. Will be all be cheering on Ant-Man come next summer?
