Paul Rudd Cast As Ant-Man In New Superhero Movie

Paul Rudd has been cast in his first superhero role as he takes the lead in upcoming Marvel action movie, Ant-Man. The Anchorman actor beat off competition from the likes of Joseph Gordon-Levitt to secure the role and will play the genius Dr. Hank Pym who devises a method to shrink himself to the size of an ant.

Paul Rudd Will Play Ant-Man In A Movie.

Rudd, 44, has made his name as a comedy actor, but has reportedly contributed to the Ant-Man screenplay, as he did with offbeat comedies Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World and The World's End. The decision is said to have swung in Rudd's favour due to Gordon-Levitt's prior commitments to DC Comics' The Sandman movie, according to BBC News.

Ant-Man was launched in 1962 as part of the Tales To Astonish series but other than the comic book stories, there's little news of the movie's plot or further casting details as of yet. The film will be directed by British filmmaker Edgar Wright, whose films include Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, and is set for release in July 2015.

Dr. Hank Pym Finds A Way To Shrink Himself To The Size Of An Ant.

In 2015, Ant-Man will face some pretty fierce competition from the deluge of other action and superhero movies destined for release that year. Amongst the largest titles sits Zack Snyder's already much-hyped Superman/ Batman face-off, Batman Vs. Superman, The Avengers: Age of Ultron, The Fantastic Four and Star Wars Episode VII, all making for a rather exciting upcoming year in movies.

Henry Pym, AKA Ant-Man, is a brilliant scientist who concocts a formula that allows him to change his size. He uses his unique advantage to solve mysteries and pass virtually undetected wherever he pleases. The comics also show Pym share his formula with his girlfriend, Janet Van Dyne (AKA the Wasp), and the pair go on to become the founding members of The Avengers.

Paul Rudd as Ant-Man? Sounds Good To Us!

Interestingly, Dr. Pym was responsible for building the powerful robot, Ultron, who will be played in The Avengers 2015 sequel by James Spader. Ultron is said to be based on Pym's own brain patterns despite his rebellion. He develops a hatred for Pym and brainwashes him to erase any memory of his existence, whilst also making a cheeky pass at the scientist's girlfriend.

It will be intriguing to see how (and even if) the stories are woven into the next Avengers movie. Ant-Man will be released in July 2015.