Edgar Wright’s Departure from Ant-Man
Edgar Wright, known for directing Shaun of the Dead, nearly directed Ant-Man. He worked on the project for eight years but left in 2014. The released film, starring Paul Rudd, was directed by Peyton Reed, while Wright retained story and screenplay credits.
"The idea of doing it at the time excited me, because you want to put your own spin on it," Wright told Variety. "But between pitching the idea and doing it, the whole franchise had blown up. The thing that attracted me about it had gone away."
Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man and Upcoming Projects
Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man is set to return in next year’s Avengers: Doomsday, alongside characters like Anthony Mackie’s Captain America, Letitia Wright’s Shuri, and Chris Hemsworth’s Thor.
Edgar Wright’s Current Work
Wright is now working on The Running Man, an adaptation of Stephen King’s novel starring Glen Powell. The story follows Powell’s character, Ben Richards, who enters a deadly game show to win money for his sick daughter, while avoiding assassins over 30 days.
Wright’s View on Sequels
"There are a lot of franchises where the sequels don't really earn their keep because all the story has been told in the first movie," Wright explained. "When a character has gone through a massive change, it's very difficult to have a second installment."
Author’s summary: Edgar Wright left Ant-Man after years of work as the MCU grew beyond his vision; he remains cautious about sequels and focuses on new adaptations.