Early word about Edgar Wright's 'Ant-Man' was that Paul Rudd and Joseph Gordon-Levitt were the frontrunners to play Ant-Man/Hank Pym. With Gordon-Levitt now attached to 'The Sandman,' Rudd has landed the role, and is in early talks to sign on.

[UPDATE: Marvel has officially announced Paul Rudd as the actor to play Ant-Man in Edgar Wright's upcoming film. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said of the casting:

When Edgar Wright came to us with the idea of Paul Rudd, we felt a huge sense of relief because the first step in creating any Marvel Studios film is finding the right star. We knew early on that we had found the right person in Paul. When he not only agreed to do it but became as enthusiastic as any actor we’d ever met with about doing the work, we knew we’d found the right guy. We couldn’t be more excited for our audiences to see what he’s going to do to bring Ant-Man to life.

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This comes from The Wrap, who note that nothing has been inked yet. There's always the possibility that the multi-picture nature of making a Marvel superhero film could be a turn-off, but if the director and actor are into it, then it sounds like a done deal. And considering how slim Rudd has looked of late, it seems that he's down for playing it.

This would be a game-changing role for Rudd, who is mostly known for his comedies, having appeared in films like 'I Love You, Man,' 'Role Models' and 'Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues,' which opens today. But Marvel is also known for taking chances with actors: Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Mark Ruffalo as Hulk, and 'Parks and Recreation' star Chris Pratt as Star Lord in the upcoming 'Guardians of the Galaxy' are anything but conventional choices. Currently 'Ant-Man' is scheduled for a July 31, 2015 release date, and we should hear shortly if Rudd takes the role.

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