(MENAFN- Arab Times) When Marvel Studios announced that Paul Rudd - best known for his comedy work in such films as "The 40-Year-Old," "Anchorman" and "Clueless" - would star as Ant-Man in their bigscreen adaptation, Rudd understood that some fans might be skeptical about him playing the beloved comic book superhero, who shrinks to insect size to battle crime. "When people heard that I was cast in this movie, I think most people's reactions were 'Huh? Paul Rudd as a superhero? Really?'" Rudd told Variety Monday night at the film's Cinema Society screening in New York at the School of Visual Arts Theater. "The majority of my career has been doing comedies, and I was always that guy, so I completely understand. Playing a comic book character is different from anything I have ever done before, and that was a huge appeal to me. I wanted to do something unexpected. I'm grateful that Marvel took a chance with me. It's been really gratifying." In "Ant-Man," Rudd not only made his leading man debut in a Hollywood tentpole, but also co-wrote the screenplay, which centers on a father-daughter relationship.
"It's an emotional story that people can get invested in," he said. "We wanted to make sure the movie had heart and be funny with all the action." Michael Pena, who plays a crook and Rudd's friend, nearly steals every scene he's in with his dim-witted jokes. The "Crash" actor says he did some improvising to get the big laughs in the film. "My performance was probably 50% improv," Pena said. "When I study a script, I want to do different takes and try to change it up. I like to rehearse a lot, so all of these ideas came up when Paul and I were rehearsing. Thank God Marvel was like, 'If you want to try it, do it.' Paul was really instrumental with the jokes. We'd come in the morning and we'd rewrite some stuff, and he was really good with that. It allowed me to open up. Paul is the best at improv. He can do it for days." Co-star Michael Douglas admits he did not read comic books growing up, but jumped at the chance to star in "Ant-Man" - his first superhero movie and first family- friendly film.
"Most of my career has been R-rated," Douglas told Variety. "My children haven't seen most of my pictures. But when I told my son about 'Ant-Man,' he said, 'Dad, you have to do this.' He was like my agent. I'm glad I took his advice. It turned out really well." To portray a superhero, Rudd listened to Chris Pratt, his "Parks and Recreation" costar, on how to bulk up and look like a fighter. "I basically didn't eat anything for about a year," said Rudd, who shows off his washboard abs onscreen. "I took the Chris Pratt approach to training for an action movie. Eliminate anything fun for a year and then you can play a hero." As for donning the Ant-Man suit, "It was just cool all the way around," Rudd said with a big smile. "I felt like the part in that thing. It was a lot of fun. It got a little toasty, but it was never debilitating." Asked if there any problems going to the bathroom in the suit, Rudd quipped, "No. I'm thankful they planned ahead!" Following the screening, Rudd, Douglas and Pena joined co-stars Corey Stoll ("House of Cards") and Bobby Cannavale at the rooftop of the Knickerbocker Hotel located in Times Square for the after-party. Other notable guests included "Girls" actor Andrew Rannells and actress Malin Akerman.
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Those searching for the pipe-smoking, cape-clad Sherlock Holmes of old at Monday's "Mr. Holmes" premiere were sure to come up empty handed, but no less entertained. Directed by Bill Condon and starring Ian McKellen and Laura Linney, Miramax and Roadside Attractions' latest debuted at New York's Museum of Modern Art to a packed house of A-listers from film, fashion and philanthropy. The movie, based on Mitch Cullin's 2005 novel "A Slight Trick of the Mind," marks McKellen and Condon's first collaboration since "Monsters" earned the writer-director an Oscar in 1998. "I've known Bill ever since'Monsters' and we've stayed friends; how can you not? He's the most lovable fellow!" gushed McKellen. "We always said we'd try to do something else if we could find anything that really tickled our fancies." The film marks the fifth collaboration between Condon and Linney, who plays Mrs. Munro, Holmes' widowed housekeeper and confidant. "Bill Condon is someone I will work with under any circumstance," Linney said. "He makes everything better, he makes a room better, he makes a story better." Speaking of her co-star, McKellen, Linney was no less generous. The often fraught onscreen relationship between Holmes and Munro was nowhere to be seen on set. "We work in a similar way, we're both trained in the theater, and there was a very strong, common actor language," she said. "We just sort of jumped in.
It happened very easily and naturally." McKellen said shooting the film was comparable to going on vacation. "The movie's packed with my old friends. It was not a labor, it was just a joyful summer last summer," recalled McKellen. "The sun was shining all the time, I got to live at home, we went down to the South Coast. It was more like a holiday, really." The Holmes in this film is a far cry from the quick-thinking detective of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's canonic stories. Now 93, and long-retired, Holmes spends his twilight years attempting to reconcile his rational modus operandi with a rapidly deteriorating mind. "Mr. Holmes" marks McKellen's first time playing the iconic detective, but according to the star, it was the script that surprised with a twist. "We all think we know Sherlock Holmes. The fun of this is, you don't know him; he's not who you thought he was," McKellen added. "You then get on with playing just a man. He's not just a man of course, he's got the old grey cells, and is determined to solve this last mystery. What this mystery reveals is that Sherlock Holmes is not all brain; he's got a heart." The films' stars and guests, including Dan Hedaya, Swoosie Kurtz and Christian Slater, headed to Southgate at Central Park for libations and tasty snacks after the screening.
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