After 8 years of developing the Marvel movie, Shaun of the Dead director Edgar Wright didn't make Ant-Man because

Edgar Wright on Why He Didn't Make Ant-Man

Director Edgar Wright, best known for "Shaun of the Dead," revealed why he never directed the Marvel film "Ant-Man." Wright worked on developing the project for eight years before leaving in 2014. The final version, starring Paul Rudd, was directed by Peyton Reed, although Wright retained story and screenplay credits.

"The idea of doing it at the time excited me, because you want to put your own spin on it," Wright told Variety. "But between pitching the idea and doing it, the whole franchise had blown up. The thing that attracted me about it had gone away."

Rudd’s Ant-Man is set to return in next year’s "Avengers: Doomsday," alongside Anthony Mackie’s Captain America, Letitia Wright’s Shuri, and Chris Hemsworth’s Thor.

Wright’s Next Project

Wright is currently working on an adaptation of Stephen King’s novel "The Running Man," featuring Glen Powell as Ben Richards. The plot follows Richards as he competes in a deadly game show to secure funds for his ill daughter, evading assassins over a thirty-day ordeal.

On Skipping a Shaun of the Dead Sequel

"There are a lot of franchises where the sequels don't really earn their keep because all the story has been told in the first movie," Wright explained. "When a character has gone through a massive change, it's very difficult to have a second installment."

Author’s Summary

Edgar Wright left Ant-Man after years of development due to Marvel's changing direction, now focusing on his dark adaptation of Stephen King's The Running Man.

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GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ — 2025-11-07

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