Edgar Wright’s Ant Man Movie Is A Go!!!

Not only was The Avengers an awesome movie, but it’s insane box office success has, predictably, gotten the gears turning on some back-burning Marvel movies, including the Edgar Wright-helmed Ant Man.  This is amazing news for any Wright fans (and if you’re not a fan or Wright, then you’re Wrong– ba-dum-bum!)

When a comic book movie makes Avengers-sized bank, it’s pretty obvious that there is going to be a bum-rush of projects going forward to capitalize on the windfall.  Prior to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes’ big screen debut, Marvel had already announced dates for Iron Man 3, Thor 2 and Captain America 2, but now Business Standard has confirmed an official green light for Ant Man!

The smallest Avenger has been stuck in development for a handful of years now, but while he may not have the star power of Tony Stark, he does have something very exciting in his corner– Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) and Joe Cornish (Attack the Block) penned the Ant Man screenplay, which will be directed by Wright himself.  Wright chimed in with a cryptic hint at the green light shortly after the Avengers’ debut, when he tweeted:

Received this in the mail. What can it mean? http://twitpic.com/9hnn6t— Edgar Wright (@edgarwright) May 5

Ever since this news broke, I had assumed the cinematic Ant Man would be Eric O’Grady, as his oddball series “The Irredeemable Ant Man” certainly has an Edgar Wright flair to it, which is why it’s interesting that the news today spotlights Henry Pym as the movie’s hero. No matter who is behind that ridiculous helmet, I have nothing but confidence in Wright and Cornish.

Wright is currently working on “The World’s End,” the third installment of his (kind of) trilogy with Simon Pegg following Shaun and Hot Fuzz. It appears he’ll be jumping right from World’s End to Ant Man, as cameras on the Marvel movie are expected to roll by the end of 2012 or early next year.