Edgar Wright and the Ant-Man Project
Edgar Wright, known for directing Shaun of the Dead, almost directed Ant-Man. He was involved in developing the project for eight years but left it in 2014. The released film, starring Paul Rudd, was directed by Peyton Reed, while Wright retained credit for the story and screenplay.
"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."
Ant-Man and Upcoming Films
Paul Rudd's Ant-Man will 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 currently working on a film adaptation of Stephen King's novel The Running Man, starring Glen Powell. The story follows Ben Richards, who takes part in a deadly game show to win money for his sick daughter, evading assassins to survive 30 days.
Wright’s Views 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 said. "When a character has gone through a massive change, it's very difficult to have a second installment."
This expresses Wright’s reluctance to create a Shaun of the Dead sequel, emphasizing the challenge of continuing a story after a significant character transformation.
Author’s summary: Edgar Wright left Ant-Man after eight years as the franchise evolved beyond his vision; he now focuses on new projects and prefers original stories over sequels.