Michael Pena, who can currently be seen in “American Hustle,” has been offered a role in Marvel’s “Ant-Man” and wants to board the film gearing up to shoot this spring, an individual familiar with the project has told TheWrap.
Marvel denied that Pena was in negotiations.
Edgar Wright is directing the superhero movie from a script he co-wrote with Joe Cornish.
Michael Douglas and Paul Rudd are set to star as Hank Pym and Scott Lang, respectively. Created by Stan Lee in 1962, Pym is a biochemist who discovers subatomic particles that allow him to shrink to insect size (and later, grow, into Giant-Man), as well as control ants. Lang, a reformed thief and electronics expert, comes along years later and uses Pym’s technology to inhabit the superhero character.
While it’s not immediately clear which side Pena’s character will be on — or whether he’ll have any superpowers — Wright has indicated that “Ant-Man” will be more comedic than the average Marvel movie. Though Pena is best known for dramas such as “Crash,” “World Trade Center” and “End of Watch,” he has displayed comedic chops in “Observe and Report,” “30 Minutes or Less” and HBO’s “Eastbound & Down.”
Pena is gearing up to shoot Fox and Shine America’s limited series “Gracepoint,” which is based on the hit British series “Broadchurch.” Production starts Jan. 27 on Vancouver Island and is expected to last several months. That should allow Pena to take a role in “Ant-Man,” which is scheduled to start production in April.
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Disney will release “Ant-Man” on July 31, 2015.
Pena next stars as labor hero Cesar Chavez in “Chavez” and will soon be seen alongside Brad Pitt and Shia LaBeouf in David Ayer’s untitled war movie. He also co-stars in Lionsgate’s horror movie “The Vatican Tapes.”
Pena is represented by CAA, Management 360 and attorney Rick Genow.