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One of the fun things about new Marvel movie releases is occasionally remembering that the people making these movies are fans, too. Sure, they are actors getting paid to wear elaborate costumes and save the world in front of green screens but, sometimes even they seem genuinely amazed by the whole thing. Apparently, Paul Rudd is no exception, as he admits seeing Chris Hemsworth wandering around as Thor on set is very cool.
Rudd recently spoke with Variety while promoting his Tribeca film Rain Reign, and the Ant-Man actor reflected on returning for the 2026 movie schedule release of Avengers: Doomsday. To that end, Rudd also discussed how it felt seeing so many familiar Marvel Cinematic Universe alums reuniting. Asked specifically what it was like getting the gang back together, he admitted that even after all these years, the experience still has not lost its novelty. As he explained:
I’ve been with Marvel for a long time — more than I even realize — but I love whenever I see all the actors that I’ve worked with on these things several times, and there’s something unique to Marvel that is: It makes you feel like a kid. When I look around and see all those actors in their superhero suits, there’s something about that that’s just cool. When you see Chris Hemsworth walking around dressed like Thor — or any of them, really — it’s like, wow, this is crazy. You’re aware of how many kids would freak out if they were able to see this.
Honestly, not just kids, how about grown men who’ve grown up on the MCU? I think I’d freak out! Because let's be real, the sprawling franchise has been around going on twenty years, and a lot of the folks who still turn out for new superhero movies have been going to see the flicks in theaters since they were very young. So, if somebody told me Chris Hemsworth was casually strolling past craft services dressed as Thor, I would probably react with the maturity of a 9-year-old.
What I love about Rudd's comments is that they cut through all the cynicism that sometimes surrounds giant IP franchises. After more than 15 years in the MCU, it would be understandable if the experience had become routine. Instead, the Clueless star sounds like somebody who still appreciates the weirdness of it all.
Maybe that's part of why Marvel has managed to work for so long. A lot of these actors genuinely seem to enjoy one another's company. Rudd specifically talked about reconnecting with performers he has worked with multiple times over the years, which makes sense considering how interconnected these movies have become.
For Rudd, that journey started with Ant-Man back in 2015. Since then, he has appeared alongside everyone from Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans to Mark Ruffalo and Hemsworth. Somewhere along the way, a comedy actor best known for Anchorman and The 40-Year-Old Virgin became one of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
With Avengers: Doomsday on the horizon, bringing back familiar faces like the Fox-era X-Men from across more than two decades of comic book movies while also introducing new ones, it sounds like the behind-the-scenes atmosphere still has some of that old MCU magic. Apparently, no amount of Marvel experience can fully prepare you for casually running into the God of Thunder in the hallway.
Paul Rudd returns in the next Avengers team-up, Doomsday, this Christmas season on December 18, 2026. In the meantime, stream Rudd's appearances in the MCU movies by streaming them with a Disney+ subscription.
