One of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s real-life versions of What If…? almost saw Edgar Wright directing Ant-Man, with the acclaimed filmmaker having spent years developing the project with Attack the Block’s Joe Cornish before creative differences got in the way.
He wanted to make a Marvel Studios movie, but they didn’t want an Edgar Wright film out of the deal, so the more workmanlike Peyton Reed ended up taking over instead, but not before Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly considered walking away from the project altogether.
Now that Wright is out promoting his new psychological thriller Last Night in Soho while Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is in production, he was always going to be asked about his brief flirtation with the MCU. During a Q&A on Reddit, he revealed why he’ll never even consider watching the film, and the closest he’s actually come to seeing it.
“I decided not to watch Ant-Man, so I would never have to tell people what I thought of it. That said, once I was on a plane, and a guy next to me was watching it, and that was a bit awkward.”
That’s a fairly understandable position because it’s not like anyone is clamoring to see how the movie they almost made, but didn’t, turns out, which is more than enough to cause some sleepless nights. Ant-Man turned out fine for what it was, but you get the sneaking suspicion things would have turned out markedly different had Wright stuck around to see it over the finish line.