When The Guardian caught up with Kevin Feige at the Guardians of the Galaxy press event in London this week, the British newspaper pressed the Marvel Studios president for details surrounding Edgar Wright abandoning his Ant-Man adaptation after eight years of development. While an official statement cited creative differences for the split, Feige confirms that it was a "combination" of personality issues and Wright's vision "falling out-of-sync" with Marvel's wider cinematic universe. The producer then reassured that his Disney-owned company did not behave like a "big evil studio... too scared at the outside-the-box creative vision," like some rumors had insinuated. "We sat round a table and we realised it was not working," said Feige. "A part of me wishes we could have figured that out in the eight years we were working on it. But better for us and for Edgar that we figure it out then, and not move it through production. We said 'let's do this together and put out a statement.' What do we say? 'Creative differences'. I said: 'That's what they always say and no-one ever believes it.' Edgar said: 'But in this case it's true'"
Kevin Feige continued, "The Marvel movies are very collaborative, and I think they are more collaborative than what he had been used to. And I totally respect that. "[But] the notion that Marvel was scared, the vision was too good, too far out for Marvel is not true. And I don't want to talk too much about that because I think our movies speak to that. Go look at Iron Man 3; go look at The Winter Soldier; go see Guardians of the Galaxy later this month. It would have to be really out there to be too out there for us." The Marvel honcho then boasted that Ant-Man is "in the best shape it's ever been" with Yes Man director Peyton Reed. "Peyton is going to do a tremendous job and the cast is tremendously dedicated and the script is getting into amazing shape," he said. "You wouldn't expect a producer to say anything different, but when that movie comes out it will be the absolute best version of Ant-Man that could have existed." He added, "The biggest disappointment for me is just the relationship, because I like Edgar very, very much and we were very close for many many years. But the perception that the big evil studio was too scared at the outside-the-box creative vision is just not the case."
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, and Patrick Wilson, and is set for release on July 17, 2015.
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