As usual, it’s been a busy week for Marvel news / rumours / speculation. Among the highlights was a report suggesting that that Joseph Gordon-Levitt (The Dark Knight Rises, Don Jon) and Paul Rudd (This Is Forty, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues) are front-runners for the lead in Edgar Wright’s Ant-Man, and Marvel’s head honcho Kevin Feige has spoken about the rumours to The Huffington Post, seemingly confirming that they’re both under consideration by stating that nothing is official as of yet.
“Sometimes it’s because we are legitimately talking, and sometimes it’s just because he’s a prominent actor out there now, and lots of rumors surround prominent actors,” said Feige when asked why JGL’s name continues to be linked to Marvel properties (he was reportedly offered the role of Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy, which has since went to Chris Pratt). “Nothing is true yet. I like Paul Rudd, too.”
Also popping up this week to discuss his role as Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy was Vin Diesel (Riddick, Fast & Furious), posting a video of himself on stilts as he spoke about his preparations for a role which Feige says is still not 100% signed and sealed: “He’s got to keep his 50 million followers, or whatever it is, entertained. It’s pretty impressive…. I think he’s filming Fast 7 right now — and occasionally filming himself. I think [his casting is] close. I think it’s close to being official for the Groot character. But, not 100 percent yet. [No], I didn’t say that [he was nuts] (laughs). But… this did not exist when we spoke at Comic Con. That is where we sort of found the potential to do something.”
Meanwhile, just to give Feige another rumour to address in his next interview, Superhero Movie News is claiming that Rashida Jones (Parks and Recreation) tops the shortlist for the role of Hank Pym’s better half Janet Van Dyne – a.k.a. The Wasp – in Ant-Man, where she “would only be a love interest and a major supporting character [with] multiple references to her future as The Wasp throughout the film.” I’d maybe take this one with a pinch of salt for the time being…
Guardians of the Galaxy is set for release on August 1st 2014, while Ant-Man will follow The Avengers: Age of Ultron and kick off Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe on July 31st, 2015.
Originally published October 18, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
