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The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has undergone several artistic alterations, including rewrites of the script and casting changes. An example of such changes can be seen in the $519.3 million filmAnt-Man,starring Paul Rudd.His involvement in rewriting the script ultimately propelled the film to unprecedented levels of success, in contrast to an earlier case where Edward Norton was allowed to rewrite TheIncredible Hulk.
Peyton Reed’s 2015Ant-Manwas so successful that it not only overcame its early challenges but also blossomed into a glorious trilogy. However, an alleged creative disagreement overThe Incredible Hulkin 2008 led to Norton leaving the role.This was mostly due to the differing viewpoints; as a result of theFight Clubactor’s intervention, the MCU entirely distanced itself fromThe Incredible Hulk.
How Did Paul Rudd Contribute to theAnt-ManScript Rewrite?
Paul Rudd’sAnt-Manfilm series has carved out a unique heist comedy niche for itself in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The actor contributed his comedic skills to the screenplay while also co-writing the film, which was a surprise summer hit in 2015.
Given that director Edgar Wright left the project so soon before production began due to creative differences, it was unclear just how good the superhero movie would be. Adam McKay had initiated talks about taking over for Wright. Although the former eventually decided against taking the director’s chair, he did consent to join as a screenwriter and worked on the script in the months before filming began.
TheAnchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundydirector explained how he became involved withAnt-Man(viaCollider):
“[Rudd] called me when Edgar Wright stepped away from the project and told me what was going on. I went and met with Marvel, and I was a little dubious just because I’m friends with Edgar and I didn’t know what the story was, and then when I kind of heard what happened, that Edgar had parted ways, and then I saw their materials, I was like, ‘God this is pretty cool’. Ultimately I didn’t want to jump in as a director, I had too many other projects going and it was too tight, but I thought, ‘You know what, I can rewrite this, and I can do a lot of good by rewriting it.’”
McKay acknowledged that he and Rudd collaborated on the script and expressed surprise at Rudd’s comedic ability:
“I’ve always known Paul Rudd’s a really good writer from improvising with him on set, but I had no idea he was that good—he’s really great with dialogue..”
Ant-ManWas Successful For The Reason Edward Norton’sThe Incredible HulkWas Not
Marvel Studios was paying Paul Rudd to rewrite the film he was starring in, something they had not done before (sinceEdward NortononThe Incredible Hulk). In contrast to theIncredible Hulk,Ant-Manachieved such success that a trilogy was eventually made of it. However, due to Norton’s meddling, the MCU completely severed its ties toThe Incredible Hulk.
Norton not only starred inThe Incredible Hulk, but he also worked out a deal to write the screenplay without receiving credit. However, as perCBR, he kept making changes long after production began. The$264.8 million film continues to be the lowest-grossing MCU film, despite receiving mostly favorable reviews from critics.
Ant-Man,on the other hand, was a financial and critical success, which made it justified to let Paul Rudd contribute to Peyton Reed’s film.Expanding theAnt-Manfranchise into a trilogy, Marvel Studios approved two more sequels, building on the success of the first movie.
You can stream bothAnt-ManandThe Incredible Hulkon Disney Plus.
Siddhika Prajapati
Senior Journalist & Content Head
Articles Published :3310
With over 3,300 articles carved into the digital walls of FandomWire, Siddhika Prajapati excels at creating, curating, and elevating engaging stories. She takes pride in giving these stories a home and, of course, she’s got a Google Knowledge Panel to prove it!Whether it’s reviewing the latest drop on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Apple TV+, or analyzing the cultural echoes of a streaming hit on Paramount+ or Max, Siddhika is always writing three steps ahead of the discourse.
