Edgar Wright reflected on his failed Ant-Man movie under the Marvel Cinematic Universe umbrella, pulling back the curtain on how The Avengers' success deeply impacted the MCU's biggest creative mistake. Best known for his films like Shaun of the Dead and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Wright was initially tapped to direct Ant-Man, and he had already written up a script before leaving the project in 2014 due to creative differences. Peyton Reed took over and eventually released his version of Ant-Man in 2015. Ant-Man writer Joe Cornish previously pointed out the real reason why Wright quit, noting that the director wanted to tell his Ant-Man story his own way while Marvel Studios wanted to build on the MCU's interconnectivity.
In an exclusive interview with The Direct in August 2023, Ant-Man editor Colby Parker Jr. also shared more details about Wright's departure, confirming that he "didn't want any other Marvel characters in the film." 11 years after his departure, Wright divulged more details about his Ant-Man movie and how The Avengers directly impacted his departure.
Speaking with Variety as part of promoting his next film, The Running Man, Edgar Wright reflected on leaving behind his Ant-Man movie, pointing out that "the thing that attracted [him] about it had gone away" after "the whole franchise had blown up" following the success of The Avengers:
"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. There was a house style. The thing that attracted me about it had gone away."
Some would argue that letting Wright go was one of the MCU's biggest creative mistakes, and his confirmation that The Avengers played a part in it only deepened the sting among Marvel diehards. The fact that Marvel Studios played it safe and didn't take a risk was a creative misstep because some pointed out that Ant-Man would've flourished more under Wright.
Marvel's decision to play it safe and lean more on interconnectivity, rather than allowing directors to experiment, came back to bite them in the post-Avengers: Endgame era, leading to box office misses and harsh reviews.
Directed by Peyton Reed, Ant-Man follows Scott Lang in a high-stakes heist to save the world from Yellowjacket's evil intentions involving Pym Particles. The movie stars Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, and Corey Stoll. Ant-Man premiered in theaters on July 17, 2015.
Will Edgar Wright Return to Marvel After the Ant-Man Mishap?
Edgar Wright has a unique filmmaking approach, finding the perfect blend between genre subversion, humor, and a retro aesthetic. These elements would've worked great with a heist film like Ant-Man, but the enforcement of the franchise's shared interconnectivity could've limited his vision.
Wright's Ant-Man movie will always be at the top of the MCU's "What Ifs," and some are wondering if a proper reunion for the director and Marvel Studios is in the cards for the future. In a separate interview with The Playlist, Wright confirmed that he is still on a "cape break," meaning that superhero movies are still a no-go for him:
"Several years afterwards, I’d get scripts saying, ‘This is a revisionist superhero movie!’ And I’d think, aren’t they all revisionist now? It would be more groundbreaking to make a straight-up one. So no, 12 years later, I’m still on what I call a ‘cape break.'"
Wright's recent comments about the cape break, combined with his confirmation that the thing that initially attracted him to the Ant-Man franchise had gotten away, strongly suggest that superhero movies are not his priority. This is a good thing, as he can focus and exert more of his passion into projects he truly enjoys, such as the recent Glen Powell-led The Running Man.
As the MCU embraces a brand-new chapter after the Multiverse Saga, Marvel Studios should learn its lessons from Wright's departure to avoid another creative mistake and maintain its strong momentum.
