No more than five minutes after we posted this article did word go around that McKay has pulled out of negotiations about Marvel’s Ant-Man, The Hollywood Reporter broke. Last night, Variety said McKay was a GO, and this morning, he’s a NO. Does ANYONE want to direct Ant-Man?
The only thing the Reporter had to say was this:
“Negotiations began with McKay in earnest on Friday but the director abruptly decided against directing the film, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. The decision is said to be his alone.”
This is quite the developing, then not developing, turn of cinematic events. Below is the original post. Do you think Ruben Fleischer or Rawson Marshall Thurber will get the call next?
OLD NEWS
After having a falling out with original director (and co-writer of the screenplay, lest we forget) Edgar Wright over the movie business equivalent of irreconcilable differences, a list of names for people who might be able to replace him surfaced. Among the names bandied about were other action comedy directors Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland, 30 Minutes or Less) and Rawson Marshall Thurber (Dodgeball), but the name that has risen to the top of the heap, according to Variety, is Adam McKay, the director and co-writer of such hit comedies as Anchorman, Talladega Nights, and Step Brothers. He also directed the buddy cop comedy The Other Guys, which, along with the massive (and silly) news team rumbles, might have given Marvel the notion that the comedy veteran could direct a superhero movie.
According to the piece in the Tinseltown rag (I like using Variety speak), McKay is in “advanced talks” to replace Wright as the director of Ant-Man, which hasn’t budged from its July 17, 2015 release date. All three of the named directors met with Marvel President Kevin Feige and the other execs last week and, evidently, the House That Iron Man Built, along with its owner and distributor Disney, have chosen the former Saturday Night Live head writer.
Image: Marvel
This is a little disheartening- as a fan, at least. I want so much for this movie to be great. Mr Wright had been attatched to this for so long, too. I hope that they manage to find another great film-maker, and more so- That we might still see an Edgar Wright Marvel Movie sometime in the future.
Bye, Felicia.
Edgar Wright backed out because he is waiting on the Deadpool franchise. I don’t have any factual evidence to base this on. I just want it to be true.
Dear Marvel, please hire Edgar Wright back and let him do whatever he wants! Everything he’s made so far is a cinematic masterpiece and I was really looking forward to Edgar Wright’s Ant-Man! 😀
What the fuck? Ill direct the damn if no one else will.
Ant-Man? Sounds a lot more like CAN’T-Man.
only in america do those two words sound alike
There’s a north of England, you know.
And a Scotland. First one to make a crack that that *is* the north of England gets the heid :-).
Annae Man? More like Cannae Man. (That’s a Scots joke there for you.)
Well, that escalated quickly.
I submit this as a comparison. If anything, Adam McKay is Edgar Wright lite as far as visual comedy and just visuals in general. Don’t get me wrong. I have enjoyed Mr. McKay’s films , so many brilliant moments. I just believe that Mr. Wright has demonstrated his ability to walk that thin line of drama, tension and comedy than Mr. McKay has been able to demonstrate.
https://vimeo.com/96558506
If Will Ferrell shows up in a Marvel movie, I’ll send a wasp’s nest to McKay’s house.