With Disney setting release dates for three mystery Marvel movies in 2016 and 2017, there’s a lot of Phase Three speculation floating around the Internet at present – most of which revolves around the Sorcerer Supreme, with several sites claiming to have the inside scoop about a Doctor Strange movie being a done deal (which in fairness, we’re all expecting anyway, since Kevin Feige has just about said as much).
But before we get to 2016, there’s the small matter of Ant-Man, which is set to kick off Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in November 2015 as Edgar Wright brings his long-gestating adaptation to the screen, and the latest name to become attached to the role of Marvel’s miniaturized hero is The Lone Ranger star Armie Hammer. The actor has apparently been spotted on the set of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and he offered up the following response when quizzed by ScreenRant as to why he was there…
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 rumor 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.
Hammer is of course firmly on Disney’s radar with The Lone Ranger, so there is a chance he could be lined up for the role of Ant-Man, but then again he could just be toying with the interviewer too. Still, he’s obviously not against appearing in a comic book movie, having previously been cast as Batman in George Miller’s ill-fated Justice League: Mortal, but at 6″5, surely he’d make a better Giant-Man…
Update – Edgar Wright has thrown cold water on the speculation surrounding the possible Ant-Man casting, taking to Twitter to state that he’s never been to the set of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, nor met Armie Hammer. So that’s that then, until the next rumour…
Originally published June 25, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
