Ant-Man Paul Rudd: Marvel has done a good job of creating superheroes that are flawed, humane and empathetic

Paul Rudd made a big splash in the Marvel cinematic universe as Ant-Man. He then made an appearance as the superhero in Captain America: Civil War. Now, fans get to see what happens to Scott Lang (Ant-Man) post that adventure when Ant-Man And The Wasp releases in India on July 13. I met Paul when he kicked off the film’s promotions in Taiwan. The actor ducked questions about his absence in Avengers: Infinity War and his role in the next instalment of the franchise, but shed some light on his latest release, his idea of the quantum realm, and why one of the main characters in the film, The Ghost, who is a man in the comics, is a woman in this movie...

Ant-Man and the Marvel universe is still growing and you are now a big part of it. How does it feel?

It’s overwhelming. It’s an honour to be a part of something like this. It’s still a bit surreal and I don’t take it for granted.

The first film was a major success. Do you feel any pressure now for the sequel?

There are so many things that you can’t worry about. All you can do is put everything into the movie that you are making because there is an innate pressure. If you start thinking about it too much then you’ll collapse. We are coming on the heels of Infinity War. There are benefits to that, and because this movie has its own personality, while it exists in that world, it has its own tone. It’s still a bit like trying to follow the Beatles in a concert.

In the comics, The Ghost is a man. As one of the writers of the project, why did you opt to change the character’s gender?

There was no ulterior motive other than the fact that we wanted to make an interesting movie and cast talented people. We are always trying to keep ideas fresh and do something you haven’t seen before. And this seemed like an interesting way to go about it.

How do you reflect on the relationship between Scott Lang and his daughter Cassie?

One of the most interesting aspects of playing this character is the inner conflict that Scott experiences with having one foot in superherodom and the other trying to be a parent. And those two things do not necessarily go together. It’s tough. What do I want to be? Do I want to be the best version of this superhero or a great dad? To wrestle with that is something I could relate to, not because I am a superhero in real life, but because sometimes, my job is to go away and shoot a film or do some work. My kids are in New York and I have to go to Georgia to shot Ant-Man. It’s always about striking a balance and thinking whether this is the right thing to do. And the joys and sorrows that Scott feels stem from that — being torn about being a superhero and a father at the same time.

Quantum realm plays such an important part in the story. How do you imagine it to be?

When you talk to the best physicists in the world (we actually spoke to some really big-brained people about this), quantum physics is fascinating. It gets into that place where there are different realities possibly happening parallel to our own or that we could conceivably be existing right in a computer programme. That all this stuff is not necessarily far-fetched, but a genuine scientific theory is mind-bending. So, the quantum realm, however you imagine it is, I think makes sense. And it’s fun to talk to people who study it, know it and teach it.

How would you describe your dynamics with The Wasp?

It’s going to be fun to see how their relationship unfolds. There are things about Hope (The Wasp) and Scott that compliment each other because they are two very different people. It’s fun to see them interact. It felt that way while shooting it (smiles).

This is your third film as Ant-Man. Do you want to continue in this direction now?

I would like to do lots of different things. But I am always open to going in the direction that feels right, based on the material. It might be something comedic or dramatic. In the case of Ant-Man, it was such a departure and so appealing for a myriad of reasons, but I don’t get so strategic about choosing a genre based specifically on it being different from the one that I have previously filmed. I only respond to the material and if it affects me, I would do it regardless of its genre.

How is this film a different experience than Ant-Man, from the writing point of view?

It’s nice when you start writing a film where you don’t have to explain anything, as certain aspects of the character are already known. And you don’t have to spend a lot of time establishing that. It was different for me this time. With the first one, there was a script and a story that existed before I ever signed on as a writer. I was writing that by default. And on this, I started with the original story. Now that has morphed over many months with other writers as well.

Earlier, most superhero films were mainly about action and drama, but MCU has made humour a big part of it. According to you, how important is it to superhero films?

The most important element of any film regardless of genre, to me, is the characters and their relationships with one another. I think what Marvel, and Kevin Feige kind of leading the charge, really care about are the films and the characters. He certainly has been a fan of comics while growing up. He understands what fans want to see and respond to because he is no different (than them). Humour is a great way of conveying something dramatic. You care about what the characters are going through and that is resonant. If you can somehow have great action and good jokes, it’s terrific, but if you don’t feel anything for what these characters are going through then the movie is just not going to stay with you in the same way. I think Marvel has done a good job of creating superheroes that are flawed, humane and empathetic. You can relate to them even if their abilities are so out of the norm for any regular human being.

Paul, since you have already shared screen space with most of the Avengers, if you were to go on a road trip with any two of them, whom would you choose and why?

I would pick Iron Man and Thor. Iron Man so that he can repair the car if it breaks down, while Thor can get us out of any trouble that we may face.