Ant-Man is one of the most exciting prospects in Marvel’s upcoming cinematic roster, as director Edgar Wright will be introducing a superhero with a whole new skill-set that should mesh perfectly with his trademark wit and visual flair.
Until now, there’s been no word on who could play Ant-Man… but Screen Rant have proposed a possible lead, after Armie Hammer ( The Lone Ranger , The Social Network ) was spotted on the set of Captain America: The Winter Soldier .
While that coincidence alone isn’t enough to link Hammer to the part, his response to a barrage of questioning about Ant-Man at a press junket for The Lone Ranger makes for an interesting read…
So, you and Edgar Wright visited the Captain America 2 set…
“Me and Edgar? Who’s Edgar? The actor?”
The director. Edgar Wright.
“Edgar Wright?”
Is this an act? If this is an act, you’re convincing.
“No, it’s not an act. Who’s Edgar Wright?”
The supposed director of Ant-Man .
“Of what?”
Ant-Man .
“ Ant-Man ? Oh! Wait! You think you know something! No, there’s nothing! What do you know? What’s the rumor?”
That you were spotted on the Captain America 2 set with Edgar Wright.
“No, there’s nothing.”
Really ?
“Yeah!”
Really.
“I promise. I promise-promise. Ant-Man?”
You’re saying it like you’ve never heard of him before.
“No, I know the character Ant-Man—like, the comic-book character.”
You can’t tell me that this is the first time you’ve heard the rumour that you’re playing Ant-Man.
“First in my life. I swear to god, cross my heart, hope to die. Amy! [ Turns to his publicist Amy, who says, '"I've never heard of that ever ever. Who's Ant-Man?" ] They make him shrink! You’re a news-breaker right there.”
Potentially fictitious, apparently.
“Well, it works. [ Fake enthusiasm ] I’m doing Ant-Man , I’m very excited about it. Me and Edgar.”
Congrats.
“I did go visit the set, though. Not with Edgar.”
With who?
“Just by myself.”
Any reason?
“Um… a buddy of mine was working on the movie so I just wanted to go say hi.”
While this exchange is nowhere close to confirmation of the role, it’s an intriguing prospect: will we be introduced to Ant-Man before he gets his own movie in 2015? And casting an actor as square-jawed and sincere as Hammer could make for an interesting foil to the character’s inherently comical sensibilities.
One things for sure… Hammer’s going to be overwhelmed with questions about this particular hero for the rest of his Lone Ranger promo tour.
The Lone Ranger opens in the UK on 9 August 2013 (after a US bow on 3 July 2013), and Ant-Man is scheduled for a 6 November 2015 release.
