Simon Pegg On ANT-MAN: "I Can't Be In Everything Edgar Wright Does"
Simon Pegg further discusses the widespread speculation that he would be playing Ant-Man based on a photo he tweeted at Marvel for a podcast. He goes on to express his excitement for the Edgar Wright-directed project, but says that he doesn't want a role in the adaptation.
Speaking with Huffington Post, actor Simon Pegg discusses the storm that he caused on the internet when he tweeted a photo of himself pointing to a drawing of Ant-Man. Since he's a frequent collaborator with director Edgar Wright, it was immediately speculated that he would be playing the titular hero in Marvel's big screen adaptation. He re-explains the circumstances behind the posting of the photo, and he even goes on to state that, while he read the Ant-Man script and loved it, he doesn't want a role in the movie because of his recurring collaborations with Wright. Pegg also comments on Wright's three second shot that he directed in Star Trek Into Darkness. Ant-Man is scheduled to hit theaters November 6th, 2015.
On The Ant-Man "Rumor" That He Started:
"Oh, man, I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe the amount of importance people placed on it. It seemed ridiculous to me. Even though it's a film that my best friend is making, there are far more important things to be tweeting about than me pointing at a painting. You know what it was? I was at Marvel doing a podcast and I had my picture taken with the Hulk and Thor. And then I was having my picture taken by the big mural and I was like, "There's Ant-Man!," because Edgar's doing Ant-Man. So, I pointed at it and the next thing I know, it's like "He's Ant-Man!" I mean, grow up!"
On Not Wanting To Be In The Movie:
"Yeah, what's funny is that I read Edgar's script for "Ant-Man" and it's going to be great. I'm very excited about it and I can't wait. I love watching stuff that Edgar directs that I'm not in. I love watching Nick [Frost] because I can be a bit more objective about it. I'm not so invested in it personally -- I can actually sit back and be a fan. Like, I love "Scott Pilgrim" and I was so happy that film was so good because I was so proud of Edgar. And I'm very proud Edgar's going to be doing a Marvel movie and I can't wait to see it. I don't want to be in it, in a way -- not that he'd want me to be in it, either -- because we have to keep our different houses separate. I can't be in everything Edgar does. It would be a shame, our own little brand exists in a bubble we have to kind of protect. It would almost sully that."
On Edgar Wright Directing A Star Trek Film And The Into Darkness Shot That He Filmed:
"Yeah, it would be kind of weird. Not that he couldn't direct "Star Trek," I'm sure he'd do a great job. He did shoot one shot in "Star Trek Into Darkness." There's one shot -- not a scene. It's like three seconds of some Klingon getting shot. He was on set and J.J. went, "Can you do that one?" I wasn't even on set that day."