Ant-Man is a 2015 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics characters of the same name: Scott Lang and Hank Pym. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the twelfth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Peyton Reed, with a screenplay by the writing teams of Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish, and Adam McKay and Paul Rudd. It stars Rudd as Scott Lang / Ant-Man, alongside Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Peña, Tip "T.I." Harris, Anthony Mackie, Wood Harris, Judy Greer, David Dastmalchian, and Michael Douglas as Hank Pym. In Ant-Man, Lang must help defend Pym's Ant-Man shrinking technology and plot a heist with worldwide ramifications.
Plot[]
In 1989, scientist Hank Pym resigns from S.H.I.E.L.D. after discovering their attempt to replicate his Ant-Man shrinking technology. Believing the technology is dangerous, Pym vows to hide it as long as he lives.
In the present day,[N 1] Pym's estranged daughter, Hope van Dyne, and former protégé, Darren Cross, have forced him out of his company, Pym Technologies. Cross is close to perfecting a shrinking suit of his own, the Yellowjacket, which horrifies Pym.
Upon his release from prison, well-meaning thief Scott Lang moves in with his old cellmate, Luis. Lang visits his daughter Cassie unannounced and is chastised by his former wife Maggie and her police-detective fiancé, Paxton, for not providing child support. Unable to hold a job because of his criminal record, Lang agrees to join Luis' crew and commit a burglary. Lang breaks into a house and cracks its safe, but only finds what he believes to be an old motorcycle suit, which he takes home. After trying the suit on, Lang accidentally shrinks himself to the size of an insect. Terrified by the experience, he returns the suit to the house, but is arrested on the way out. Pym, the homeowner, visits Lang in jail and smuggles the suit into his cell to help him break out.
Pym, who manipulated Lang through an unknowing Luis into stealing the suit as a test, wants Lang to become the new Ant-Man to steal the Yellowjacket from Cross. Having been spying on Cross after discovering his intentions, Van Dyne and Pym train Lang to fight and to control ants. While Van Dyne harbors resentment towards Pym about her mother Janet's death, he reveals that Janet, known as the Wasp, disappeared into a subatomic quantum realm while disabling a Soviet nuclear missile. Pym warns Lang that he could suffer a similar fate if he overrides his suit's regulator. They send him to steal a device that will aid their heist from the Avengers' headquarters, where he briefly fights Sam Wilson.
Cross perfects the Yellowjacket and hosts an unveiling ceremony at Pym Technologies' headquarters. Lang, along with his crew and a swarm of flying ants, infiltrates the building during the event, sabotages the company's servers, and plants explosives. When he attempts to steal the Yellowjacket, he, along with Pym and Van Dyne, are captured by Cross, who intends to sell both the Yellowjacket and Ant-Man suits to Hydra. Lang breaks free and he and Van Dyne dispatch most of the Hydra agents, though one flees with a vial of Cross' particles and Pym is shot. Lang pursues Cross, while the explosives detonate, imploding the building as Pym and Van Dyne escape.
Cross dons the Yellowjacket and attacks Lang before Lang is arrested by Paxton. Cross takes Cassie hostage to lure Lang into another fight. Lang overrides the regulator and shrinks to subatomic size to penetrate Cross' suit and sabotage it to shrink uncontrollably, killing Cross. Lang disappears into the quantum realm but manages to reverse the effects and returns to the macroscopic world. Out of gratitude for Lang's heroism, Paxton covers for Lang to keep him out of prison. Seeing that Lang survived and returned from the quantum realm, Pym wonders if his wife is alive as well. Later, Lang meets up with Luis, who tells him that Wilson is looking for him.
In a mid-credits scene, Pym shows Van Dyne a new Wasp prototype suit and offers it to her. In a post-credits scene, Wilson and Steve Rogers have Bucky Barnes in their custody. Unable to contact Tony Stark because of "the accords",[N 2] Wilson mentions that he knows someone who can help.
Cast[]
- Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man
- Michael Douglas as Hank Pym/Ant-Man
- Dax Griffin as Young Hank Pym
- Evangeline Lilly as Hope van Dyne
- Corey Stoll as Darren Cross/Yellowjacket
- Bobby Cannavale as Jim Paxton
- Michael Peña as Luis
- T.I. as Dave
- Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Falcon
- Wood Harris as Gale
- Judy Greer as Maggie Lang
- Abby Ryder Fortson as Cassie Lang
- David Dastmalchian as Kurt
- Martin Donovan as Mitchell Carson
- Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter
- John Slattery as Howard Stark
- Gregg Turkington as Dale
- Joe Chrest as Frank
- Hayley Lovitt as Janet van Dyne/Wasp
- Nicholas Barrera as Ernesto
- Carlos Aviles as Carlos
- Lyndsi LaRose as Emily
- Robert Crayton as Peachy
- Danny Vasquez as Ignacio
- Rod Hallett as HYDRA Buyer
- Stan Lee as Bartender
- Anna Akana as Writer
- Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America (uncredited)
- Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (uncredited)
- Cesar Mendoza as Gabriel (uncredited)
- Jordi Mollá as Castillo (deleted scene)
Sequels[]
Ant-Man was followed by two sequels: Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023).
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- This is the twelfth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and final film in Phase Two.
- This is the first live action film centering on Ant-Man.
- This is the first film in the Ant-Man trilogy.
- The Falcon's role in the plot came about after Adam McKay and Paul Rudd went to see "Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)" and fell in love with the character. They casually suggested working him into the plot, and Kevin Feige informed them that it would actually make perfect sense since Falcon was now living at the New Avengers compound as of Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015).
- For the 1980s flashback scenes, de-aging VFX were used on the 70-year-old Michael Douglas and the 57-year-old Martin Donovan to make them appear younger, and aging VFX were combined with the wig and make-up 33-year old Hayley Atwell wore to make her appear older.
- While Edgar Wright was working on the film, he requested that "Marvel" refrain from using Ant-Man or Wasp until he had finished the movie, which is why they were absent from "Avengers Assemble (2012)."
- The laser sounds fired from Yellowjacket's suit are the same sound as the main gun on an AT-AT being fired in the Star Wars movies. Disney owns Marvel and Star Wars.
- Director Edgar Wright, a big fan of Ant-Man, proposed the film to Marvel in 2003, describing it as "an action-adventure comedy; a cross-genre action and special effects bonanza." He had been developing the movie since then, shooting a test reel and hiring the cast, and was close to begin shooting the movie. However, in 2014, he dropped out due to "creative differences" with Disney, which had bought out Marvel Studios five years prior.
- At the beginning of the film, set in 1989, the Triskelion is being constructed. The building was S.H.I.E.L.D's main quarters in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)."
- Edgar Wright wanted the film to be completely stand-alone, with no references to the other films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This plan did not match the studio plan for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This, among other factors, led to Wright leaving.
- In the comics, Hank Pym created Ultron. This movie is the next Marvel movie released after Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015).
- Although Edgar Wright dropped out of the movie, a large portion of the script he wrote is still in the story.
- Paul Rudd worked on rewrites with Adam McKay. Michael Peña and Evangeline Lilly have said in interviews that many of the actors were consulted on their characters during the rewrite, which resulted in expanded roles.
- John Slattery reprises his role as Howard Stark, Tony Stark's father, from Iron Man 2 (2010).
- When the role of Wasp (Hank Pym's lover and wife) was in the script, Rashida Jones and Emma Stone were considered for the part.
- According to the filmmakers, the main theme in this film is "passing the torch."
- Peyton Reed is a huge Marvel fan and seized the opportunity to direct a film in the MCU even if it meant stepping in at the last minute to take over a project previously helmed by Edgar Wright. Before the film's release, he went on the record as saying he'd absolutely direct the sequel.
- Sean Bean, Pierce Brosnan and Gary Oldman were considered for the role of Hank Pym.
- Scott lives at the Milgrom Hotel. This was named after comic-book artist Al Milgrom.
- Edgar Wright was responsible for casting Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, David Dasmalchian and Michael Pena.
- Jessica Chastain turned down the lead female role of Hope van Dyne due to scheduling conflicts. She had previously bowed out of the role of Maya Hansen in Iron Man 3 (2013) for the same reason.
- The first production to film in the sound stages at the new Pinewood Atlanta Studios. With the exception of Doctor Strange (2016), all of Marvel Studios' subsequent productions have been filmed entirely or in part at Pinewood.
- Patrick Wilson was cast as Paxton. But after the movie was delayed, scheduling conflicts forced Wilson to drop out and Bobby Cannavale took the role. Wilson subsequently went onto appear on the DC Extended Universe's superhero films by voicing a role the following year as the President of the United States in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and co-starring in Aquaman.
- Peyton Reed originally wanted Rick Moranis who's known for portraying Wayne Szalinski in the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids films in the film for a cameo.
- Paul Rudd is the second Parks and Recreation (2009) cast member to be cast as a main lead in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, after Chris Pratt as Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014).
- Edgar Wright's drafts did not include the Wasp, save for a mention from Pym.
- Edgar Wright himself selected Paul Rudd for the role of Scott Lang based on his natural charisma, which would make Scott likable despite being a criminal in-story.
- Adrien Brody, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Ewan McGregor were all in the running for the role of Scott Lang.
- Jordan Peele was originally cast when Edgar Wright was still director.
- The director of this film, Peyton Reed, was considered to direct "Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)," another "Marvel Studios" film, which was later directed by James Gunn. Reed was also attached at one point, to direct "Fantastic Four (2005)," a film adaptation based on another "Marvel" property, that was released by "20th Century Fox.
- The building that was used for the Pym Technologies exterior set stored records for the city of Atlanta and was also used as the news studio in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004), which also starred Paul Rudd.
- The house used for Hank's residence was also used as Halliwell Manor in Charmed (1998).
- Mary Elizabeth Winstead wanted to play The Wasp.
- Director Peyton Reed stated that Ant-Man's suit would look different from the one shown in the test footage.
- Adam McKay, Ruben Fleischer, Rawson Marshall Thurber, Nicholas Stoller, Michael Dowse and David Wain were considered to direct the film.
- The film takes place in 1987, 1989 and 2015.
- Emma Stone was offered the role of Hope Van Dyne but passed on the role.
- David Wain was considered to direct after Edgar Wright left the project.
- Patrick Wilson was cast as William Crossnote, but he left the project after Edgar Wright's departure, citing a scheduling conflict.
- This is the second film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to be shown a 1:85:1 aspect ratio since The Avengers (2012).
- Ant-Man is the first solo Avenger who hasn't appeared in a Marvel Cinematic Universe film before his own solo film since Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk in 2008, and Captain America and Thor in 2011. Nick Fury first appeared in Iron Man (2008), Black Widow first appeared in Iron Man 2 (2010), Hawkeye first appeared in Thor (2011), Vision first appeared in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) (the same for Scarlet Witch if her cameo in the Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) post-credits is not counted), and Spider-Man and Black Panther first appeared in Captain America: Civil War (2016).
- Evangeline Lilly and Lee Pace both starred in a Phase-Two Marvel Cinematic Universe Movie, and both also starred in films from The Hobbit trilogy. Lilly played Tauriel in both The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014), while Pace played Thranduil in all three films.
- Michael Douglas's first film for the Walt Disney Company. His father, Kirk Douglas, appeared in Disney's first live-action film, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954). His cast mate, James Mason, was mentor to a young Sam Neill, who appeared in Thor: Ragnarok (2017).
- This is the fourth project to star Michael Douglas where the main setting is San Francisco, following The Streets of San Francisco (1972), Basic Instinct (1992) and The Game (1997).
- John Slattery and Anthony Mackie have appeared in other Marvel movies but have never shared any screen time. In another film The Adjustment Bureau (2011) they both appear onscreen at the same time.
- Director Peyton Reed's second film with the word "man" in the title, after Yes Man (2008).
| Ant-Man |
|---|
| Ant-Man (2015), Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) |
| Phase Two |
|---|
| Iron Man 3 (2013), Thor: The Dark World (2013), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Ant-Man (2015) |