'Ant-Man': Character Scott Lang's Flaws Drew Paul Rudd To Marvel Role

In a chat with Screen Rant, Paul Rudd revealed the reason why he decided to play Scott Lang in Peyton Reed’s “Ant-Man.” It was reportedly the flaws of the character that drew him to the role -- not the fact that he gets to wear a superhero suit.

“The things I probably draw into the most are his flaws and he’s good at what he does. His kind of moral conundrum, what’s the right thing to do. It isn’t the suit, it isn’t the special effects, it isn’t the action, it’s none of that stuff that draws me necessarily to a character,” he said. Rudd added that he could relate to and empathizes with the emotions of Lang -- and that is what drew him to the character.

In the comic book, Lang turns to burglary after he fails as an electrician -- because he has no other way to support his family. He enhances his knowledge of electronics after being imprisoned for three years. But after getting a provisional release from prison, he tries to steal the Ant-Man suit from Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and uses it to rescue Dr. Erica Sondheim so she can cure his daughter Cassie Lang’s illness.

In the film, Lang and Pym bond because Pym also has a daughter, Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly). “It’s something that I think we really did want to focus on, and maybe build up a little bit, this idea of familial relationships, parents and children, and commonalities that maybe Hank and Scott share, qualities that maybe Scott has that Hank can relate to, something that kind of creates a kinship, I think,” Rudd said.

“Ant-Man” opens July 17. Reed has directed from a screenplay by Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish, Adam McKay and Rudd based on the comic book “Ant-Man” by Stan Lee, Larry Leiber and Jack Kirby. Other cast members include Corey Stoll, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Peña, Tip "T.I." Harris, Wood Harris, Judy Greer and David Dastmalchian.