Ant-Man wasn’t created to be a superhero

It all started in 1961when Marvel published The Man in the Ant-Hill where a scientist named Henry Pym tested a technology on himself that shrunk him to the size of an ant (by accident). This seven-page long story appeared in a Tales to Astonish comic. The story was taken up by editor Stan Lee who, with the help of his younger brother (and scriptwriter) Larry Lieber and artist Jack Kirby, came out with the Astonishing Ant-Man comic in 1962. Kirby gave Pym a red and black costume. Somehow this superhero didn’t really take off despite a lot of creative efforts by Marvel, including appearances in the 1963’s The Avengers #1 and Avengers #2. Finally it was decided that Pym will do better as a scientist.

The idea for the movie was formulated in the 1980s

The idea was pitched by Stan Lee himself in the late 1980s, but studios canned it finding it too similar to the film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Development started on it when director Edgar Wright and his writing partner Joe Cornish was signed on by Marvel in April 2006.

As part of his tradition Stan Lee appeared in a cameo in this movie

The creative genius is known for his fleeting appearances in several of Marvel movies. Unfortunately he doesn’t get to share any scene with the lead Paul Rudd but he comes in the second half as a cheeky bartender. Did you spot him?

Darren Cross aka Yellow Jacket’s costume is digital

Costume designers Sammy Sheldon and Ivo Coveney decided against getting a physical suit for the antagonist (Yellow Jacket) played by Corey Stoll, and Stoll was filmed in a motion capture suit. According to them “it’s protective, it’s digital, it’s very high-tech. All the surface textures we used were along the ballistic nylon and kevlar and carbon fibre route with high-tech digital things going through it.”

Paul Rudd included an ant farm in his preparation

Apart from the strenuous physical prepping for the role, Paul Rudd wanted to understand and learn how ants work together. This led him to purchase a large ant farm. He was so inspired by this farm that he kept it even after the movie.