‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’: Paul Rudd Says Joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe Was Like Doing ‘Dancing With the Stars’
Paul Rudd joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Ant-Man Scott Lang in 2015. He’s appeared in several Marvel films since. But when recalling his initial impressions of the superhero franchise, the Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania star revealed that joining the MCU was like doing Dancing With the Stars.
Why Paul Rudd compares the MCU to ‘Dancing with the Stars’
Rudd is no stranger to Hollywood. He has starred in some of the biggest comedy hits of the past two decades, including Clueless, Anchorman, and I Love You, Man.
But it wasn’t until 2015 that he took on his notable role as Scott Lang in the Marvel movie, Ant-Man. At the time, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was still relatively new and had not yet been acquired by Disney. It was a major pivot for Rudd, who had previously found success in TV and film comedies.
But joining the MCU wasn’t something Rudd thought he’d ever do. According to the actor, when he was first approached for the role, he thought it was as strange a proposition as being asked to appear on the popular competition show, Dancing With the Stars.
“My agent set up a meeting with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige,” Rudd recalled in an interview with Men’s Health. “Marvel was pretty new. They weren’t even part of Disney. It would’ve been like somebody saying, ‘How would you feel about doing Dancing with the Stars?'”
The ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ star thought people wouldn’t accept him as a superhero
Most of Lang’s roles before Ant-Man were comical, everyday man types. So when he was cast in the MCU, he wondered if people would accept him as a superhero.
“A superhero franchise was never on my radar,” Rudd told Men’s Health. “I never really thought I was the type of actor that they would offer any of those parts to. But when this idea came around, I was excited about doing something that was so out of left field, and I knew that if it was announced that I was going to be joining a superhero franchise, most people would say, ‘What the f***?'”
But Rudd’s introduction as Ant-Man was very well-received, and he went on to reprise the role in three more MCU movies, Captain America: Civil War, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Avengers: Endgame. He now returns for the third installment of the Ant-Man series, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Paul Rudd calls his Ant-Man journey in the MCU a ‘wild ride’
It’s been nearly a decade since Rudd took on the role of Scott Lang. And while the actor may not have believed he was a good fit at first, he’s since become a fan-favorite.
In a recent chat with People, Rudd talked about the impact the MCU role has made on him personally and professionally. And he noted that he’s enjoyed every moment of it.
“It’s like this kind of thing doesn’t just happen, so it’s coming up now on nearly 10 years, which is a long time, and it’s been a wild ride,” Rudd enthused. “I’ve gotten to go to many different countries. I’ve met lots of people I never would’ve met, and to be a part of something that has such global interest has been an amazing experience.”
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania hit theaters on Feb. 17, 2023.
