Ant-Man is in the unenviable position of coming after the colossal chaos of Avengers: Age of Ultron, but the latest teaser for the bite-sized Marvel Cinematic Universe entry actually plays into that perception, presenting the July pic as a leaner, funnier kind of superhero movie that definitely isn’t taking itself too seriously.
When Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) bailed on the project, many worried that Ant-Man was going to end up too serious, like some other MCU entries before it (here’s looking at you, Thor: The Dark World), but replacement helmer Peyton Reed appears to have put a premium on humor, between Paul Rudd’s jokey puns (“Pick on someone your own size”) and a furious action sequence involving Thomas the Tank Engine.
That blend certainly isn’t going to send Ant-Man soaring to the same box office total as Age of Ultron, but it may at least pull in respectable numbers from moviegoers excited to see a lighter MCU movie. When Wright was aboard, everyone thought that this was going to be Marvel’s answer to heist comedies, and if Reed has kept that rollicking, adventurous spirit intact, the film could be a lot better than many were predicting it to be at the outset. The jury’s still out, of course, but I’m liking the tone that the new trailers have been striking.
Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Michael Pena and Bobby Cannavale all star in Ant-Man, which opens July 17.
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.
Marvel’s “Ant-Man” stars Paul Rudd as Scott Lang aka Ant-Man, Evangeline Lilly as Hope Van Dyne, Corey Stoll as Darren Cross aka Yellowjacket, Bobby Cannavale as Paxton, Michael Peña as Luis, Judy Greer as Maggie, Tip “Ti” Harris as Dave, David Dastmalchian as Kurt, Wood Harris as Gale, Jordi Mollà as Castillo and Michael Douglas as Hank Pym. Directed by Peyton Reed and produced by Kevin Feige, Marvel’s “Ant-Man” delivers a high-stakes, tension-filled adventure on July 17, 2015.
