Peyton Reed talks Ant-Man: ‘It Was a Labor of Love’

We touched on all this and more when we met with Reed at the Marvel Studios offices just recently.

I really liked the spirit of everybody involved in the movie.

Everybody was incentivized to just make this thing amazing.

So I think I was really primed to do it.

So when I got the opportunity it was a labor of love.

I grew up reading the comics.

I think when we went to Comic-Con that first summer was it 2014?

I still go to Comic-Con.

Its weird now because I actually like going to Comic-Con and just skulking around and looking at the things.

Its a different thing now, like going down and promoting the movie and stuff.

Its great, but its just different.

But I love it.

I was always a huge obsessive Marvel Comics guy.

What was the most important aspect to you of bringingAnt-Manto the screen that you wanted to get right?

You know, something that was the defining shrinking movie of 2015 (laughs).

Can you describe that in laymans terms?

2.40 is really a widescreen aspect ratio, like the widest except for maybe Cinerama or something.

I love that aspect ratio.

Ive done two of my movies in that aspect ratio.

But for me its always kind of the story that dictates the aspect ratio.

1.85 is not as wide, but its a little taller.

I think its generally thought of as more intimate and maybe less epic.

Its a big conversation because it affects production design.

And I had to make a case for the fact that it was still going to be epic.

I looked at movies like Joss (Whedon)s firstAvengers, which was 1.85.Jurassic Parkis 1.85.E.T.is 1.85.

There are plenty of 1.85 movies that are big and have scope to them.

It wasnt a huge, long, protracted conversation with Marvel.

They really saw the value in doing it that way.

But it just made sense for our movie.

When you are looking at it on Blu-ray and DVD, it actually fills more of your screen.

So you dont have the black bars on the top and bottom.

But it just felt right for this movie.

I have no idea what the aspect ratio of the next one will be.

It really kind of depends on the story and what works best.

You are coming back forAnt-Man and the Wasp.

Scotts inCaptain America:Civil War, obviously.

Do you have to sort of jump off from wherever he lands in that movie?

Do you have to look at that first to see where you are going with the next one?

The stuff with him inCivil Waris terrific.

It was really a smaller tale.

It will be affected by what happens inCivil War.

Theres no question about it.

But I think only in a small way.

Is Adam McKay going to write this?

Were still trying to figure out.

Pauls in and McKay right now is out promoting his movieThe Big Short.

So hes out and its really going to be a schedule issue probably.

Can you talk about the evolution of that character and getting her into the title of the next one?

I think it made sense in the story inAnt-Man.

Her arc of becoming a hero is as big a part as Scotts is in the firstAnt-Man.

She doesnt get the suit until the very, very end.

But it makes sense because in the comics they were absolutely a duo.

So thats going to be really fun to explore with Scott and Hope.

So it really kind of works for both Ant-Man and Wasp.

Do you have a villain in mind?

We definitely have a definite take on the villain aspect of the movie.

Thats a good way of saying it.

You spoke about using technology and being able to make the first one the ultimate shrinking movie.

But really, just making it a little weirder and maybe a little more extreme.

We dont want to repeat what we did in the firstAnt-Man.

We want to build on it and enhance it.

Are there more advanced cameras coming out and that sort of thing?

Theres the Alexa 65mm, which is a large format version of what we shotAnt-Manon.

Really, thats part of the fun.

I mean were still about a little less than a year away from starting prep on the movie.

So, technologically, who knows?

Theres a lot that changes.

It changes so quickly.

You came very close to doing a Fantastic Four movie years back.

What do you think has been the issue with getting that right?

And if it ever gets back into these corridors, would you like another crack at it?

Id love another crack.

I mean, I am a huge fan of the Fantastic Four, obviously.

In the comics realm they were the first family of the Marvel Universe.

Its a tough property to adapt because there was such an early 60s space race optimism about that thing.

It can seem a little like a story out of time.

But thats certainly not the only way into Fantastic Four.

Im really focusing just on [laughs]Ant-Manright now.

Ant-Manis out now on Blu-ray, DVD and digital.