The concept of Ant-Man sounds rather ridiculous, and the MCU has fully leaned into that by making the shrinking hero the comedic face of the franchise. Both of the Ant-Man films are undeniably among the funniest in the MCU, largely due to the hilarious and lovable hero Scott Lang, and who could be better to bring that to life than the comedy icon Paul Rudd?
Since finding fame, thanks in part to his recurring role on the hit sitcom Friends, Paul Rudd has become among the most recognizable faces in comedy. Over the years, the actor has starred in Anchorman, Knocked Up, Clueless, and more famous comedies, making him an immediate fan-favorite choice when the role of Ant-Man came around.
Just as it has done for many other characters, the MCU has turned Ant-Man into something of a household name. Rewind ten years, and it would be hard to imagine anyone outside of comic readers being aware of the shrinking hero, and yet the character has just been referenced in a new Disney+ movie.
Paul Rudd is Aunt-Man
Warning - The rest of this article contains spoilers for Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers.
Ant-Man actor Paul Rudd made a cameo in Disney+'s Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers in which he appeared at a convention and joked to a fan about how he originally signed on to the Marvel project under the title Aunt-Man - with his superpower being the ability to be really charming to aunts.
The film's end-credits sequence then displayed a parody of the Ant-Man poster which rates the film four stars and describes that "Aunt-Man is irresistible."
The poster shows Rudd smiling in his Ant-Man attire while surrounded by three aunts.
What's Next for Paul Rudd's Ant-Man?
Thanks to its expansive library of ownership, Disney has been able to fill many of its biggest releases with Easter eggs and references to other franchises. Ryan Reynolds' Free Guy famously referenced both the Marvel and Star Wars universes, and now Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers has done something similar with mentions of Ant-Man, Batman, and more.
Going back a decade, nobody would have expected Ant-Man to be referenced in a major movie release, let alone that it would generate such as ecstatic reaction from viewers. Famous heroes like Spider-Man and Hulk had been referenced across the entertainment industry for decades, but it was the MCU that turned Ant-Man into the star he is today.
Moving forward, that stardom will only continue to grow with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania expected to be the biggest outing yet for the shrinking hero. That film will introduce fans to the villainous Kang the Conqueror, a major step forward for the MCU story as Ant-Man comes in front of his most dangerous foe to date.
Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers is streaming now, exclusively on Disney+. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is set to arrive in theaters on February 17, 2023.
