Marvel will be exploring the smaller side of its cinematic universe this summer with Ant-Man. However, judging by the tone of the recently-released teaser trailer, one might have gotten the impression that this blockbuster was more of a dramatic piece of insect agitprop than its more lighthearted Marvel contemporaries, specifically Guardians of the Galaxy. According to the film’s co-star, Judy Greer, though, Ant-Man will most definitely be bringing the comedy.
In a Q&A for the Television Critics Association press tour promoting her role on TV’s Archer, Greer discusses her Ant-Man experience and was quoted by IGN. Playing Maggie, Ant-Man/Scott Lang’s ex-wife and mother to his daughter, Greer, who has never done a comic book film, reveals that there will be comedic aspects to the film.
I haven’t seen it yet but there was a lot of comedy on set and we did a lot of comedic improv. I don’t know what will end up in the movie, but yeah."
If the sporadic instances of humor and sarcasm in the film’s teaser trailer wasn’t enough indication, then the appointment of director Peyton Reed, primarily a veteran of slapstick and romantic comedies, certainly had to send the message that this was going to a more lighthearted Marvel movie. Pair that with the scriptwriting duties, which have fallen to Anchorman director Adam McKay and star, Paul Rudd himself, and the recipe is clearly set for superhero film that will take unorthodox, bumbling routes in our main hero’s journey.
For Judy Greer, walking into her first comic book was a bit intimidating. Even the task of answering initial questions of who her favorite superhero was were met with awkward responses like "Batman" and "Wonder Woman," learning the hard way that those are DC Comics properties. However, after being provided a little research into the Marvel cinematic brand, Greer has been made a fan, pointing to Guardians of the Galaxy as a primary example of how comedy can meld with the comic book genre.
I’m friendly with [Guardians director] James Gunn and I was so happy that Marvel allowed his personality and his voice to show through because he’s one of the funniest guys I know. It’s fun to see superheroes who aren’t just kicking ass but are also fully formed characters. I think that’s also why they’re getting such great actors to play them, like real actors like Paul Rudd and Chris Pratt, character actors and not just pretty faces -- not that there’s anything wrong with that."
Much like Guardians was last year, Ant-Man will undoubtedly be an important litmus test for the Marvel cinematic brand. While Guardians tested whether a property of generally unknown comic book characters could translate into something accessible by layman audiences, Ant-Man, the story of a character who is generally known as one of the most important members of The Avengers, has the hurdle of eccentricity and perceived silliness to overcome. (Possibly the reason for the initial trailer’s serious tone.) Thus far, the story seems to portray a graspable redemption tale, but unlike Guardians it will not have the team dynamic to carry the chemistry. It will certainly be interesting to see if Ant-Man lives up to expectations when it embiggens itself into theaters on July 17.
