Kevin Feige On SPIDER-MAN, Phase 3, ANT-MAN; Paul Rudd Talks CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR
Hit the jump and check out what Marvel Studios' head honcho and the star of Ant-Man both say about the upcoming movie, as well as the Spider-Man reboot, Black Panther and Captain America 3
In anticipation of the Ant-Man movie, star Paul Rudd has been featured on the latest cover of The Hollywood Reporter magazine, and he also took part in an extensive interview alongside Marvel Studios President of Production Kevin Feige. While Rudd talks about his size-shifting superhero's cinematic debut and future (including in Captain America: Civil War), Feige offers updates on the Black Panther and Captain Marvel films, and he also talks about developing the Spider-Man reboot with Sony Pictures, among other things. Check out highlights below, and the full Q&A at the source.
After confirming Marvel Studios' absence at this year's San Diego Comic-Con (due the belief that "If you can't go to Comic-Con and overdeliver, then don't go,"), Kevin Feige discussed how Ant-Man will be closing out Phase Two of the Marvel Cinematic Universe while still factoring into Phase Three. "Phase One ended with Avengers, so some people thought that Phase Two would end with an Avengers film," said the producer. "But the truth is, there is so much in Ant-Man: introducing a new hero, introducing a very important part of technology in the Marvel universe, the Pym particles. Ant-Man getting on the Avengers' radar in this film and even – this is the weirdest part, you shouldn't really talk about it because it won't be apparent for years – but the whole notion of the quantum realm and the whole notion of going to places that are so out there, they are almost mind-bendingly hard to fathom. It all plays into Phase Three. It became very clear that Ant-Man is the pinnacle and finale of Phase Two and Captain America: Civil War is the start of Phase Three."
This interview took place prior to the announcement that Tom Holland will be playing Peter Parker aka Spider-Man in the MCU and the standalone movie in 2017, but Kevin Feige took the opportunity to explain how much Marvel Studios will be involved in the reboot after the new web-slinger debuts in Civil War. "Well, we're producing it for Sony," said Feige. "It's exciting, and we're treating it like we treat all of our films. To try to make the best version now of Spider-Man and a version of Spider-Man that inhabits this universe that we've created. We're in lockstep with [Sony Motion Picture Group chairman] Tom Rothman and [producer] Amy Pascal at every turn." Asked if some MCU characters will show up in the solo movie(s), Kevin Feige, "Specifics of the story aside, the agreement that has been made between Sony and Marvel is that we could do that."
Asked when we'll find out who will be directing Black Panther and Captain Marvel, Kevin Feige said, "I think by the end of the summer, we'll have most of those things. Black Panther especially." About the rumored contender Ava DuVernay (Selma), Feige says, "We've met with her for sure. We've met with a number of people for a number of movies. She has been one of them." Anyhow, for the full interview, in which both Kevin Feige and Paul Rudd discuss Edgar Wright's departure from Ant-Man, and more, head over to The Hollywood Reporter. What do you think?
Armed with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, con-man Scott Lang must embrace his inner-hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, protect the secret behind his spectacular Ant-Man suit from a new generation of towering threats. Against seemingly insurmountable obstacles, Pym and Lang must plan and pull off a heist that will save the world. Directed by Peyton Reed, Ant-Man stars Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Corey Stoll, Evangeline Lilly, David Dastmalchian, Michael Pena, Bobby Cannavale, Abby Ryder Fortson, Judy Greer, Wood Harris John Slattery and Gregg Turkington with multi-hyphenate T.I., and the film opens July 17, 2015