Edgar Wright and the Ant-Man Project
Edgar Wright, known for directing Shaun of the Dead, almost directed Ant-Man. He worked on the project for eight years but left in 2014 before it was completed. The film was eventually directed by Peyton Reed, with Paul Rudd starring as Ant-Man. 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. But between pitching the idea and doing it, the whole franchise had blown up. The thing that attracted me about it had gone away."
Upcoming Appearances of Ant-Man
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 Future Projects
Wright's next film is an adaptation of Stephen King's novel The Running Man, starring Glen Powell as Ben Richards. The story centers on Richards entering a deadly game show to earn money for his sick daughter while avoiding assassins over 30 days.
Wright on Shaun of the Dead 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. When a character has gone through a massive change, it's very difficult to have a second installment."
Wright has expressed reservations about making a sequel to Shaun of the Dead, citing the challenges of continuing a story after a significant character transformation.
Author’s summary: Edgar Wright left the long-developed Ant-Man project due to changes in the franchise, now focuses on new adaptations, and remains cautious about sequel potential.