(CBR) It's been a crazy few months for “Ant-Man”: Edgar Wright left the film in May due to creative differences, and new director Peyton Reed took over in June. While many have weighed in on Wright's departure — from “Ant-Man” actor Michael Douglas to “Iron Man” and “Iron Man 2” director Jon Favreau — a clear picture of why Peyton Reed was Marvel's choice to fill Edgar Wright's shoes hadn't yet emerged.
However, IGN spoke with Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige during a special “Guardians of the Galaxy” footage screening in London on Tuesday, where he gave a better idea of what qualified Reed for the job. The studio head referenced Reed's longstanding relationship with Marvel — not only was he once attached to 2005's “Fantastic Four,” but he also pitched for “Guardians of the Galaxy” and other Marvel Studios films — as well as details about the current approach to the long-awaited film.
“It was not a slam-dunk that [Peyton Reed] would just step into it and do it,” Feige told IGN. “He wanted to be sure that he was wasn”t just inheriting something or following someone else”s lead. Or wasn't inheriting something that the evil studio had watered down to be something bad. I kept saying, 'You can either read what”s online, or come in and talk to us and look at all this stuff.' He looked at everything, he talked with us, and he said, 'Number one, I agree with the direction you”re going in. And number two, I can add to it.' And he has — the movie is in as good a shape as it”s ever been right now.
“It”s still very much in the spirit of what Edgar”s original pitch was and the entire template of the movie is what Edgar set out and originally came and pitched us maybe eight years ago now,” he continued. “But it's on its way to being the absolute best version of what that movie could have been.”
“Ant-Man” is expected to keep its current release date of July 17, 2015 and will likely make an appearance at Marvel Studios' Hall H panel Saturday, July 26 at Comic-Con International 2014, along with many of the other films that are currently on the studio's upcoming release schedule — including next year's “Avengers: Age of Ultron.”