Earlier on Friday, Marvel confirmed the news that the latest hero to be added to its cinematic universe, Ant-Man, will be played by none other than Anchorman 2 co-star Paul Rudd. The Marvel films have a deep fan base of both fans and non-fans of the comic series who may or may not know exactly who and what Ant-Man is. For those who are uninitiated with the comics, Time Magazine has come out with a list of the top 5 things you need to know about Ant-Man going into the 2015 film.
Henry "Hank" Pym is a genius: In the comics, Ant-Man is a scientist turned super hero whose Enstein-level brilliance results in him acquiring his powers. He specializes in the fields of robotics and biochemistry but is best known for his discovery of a group of subatomic particles.
Pym particles: The particles that he discovers are known as Pym particles. They are the source of his superpowers, which allow him to shrink or grow his body at will. He can sneak around undetected while the size of an ant or grow to incredibly large proportions to take on even the most powerful of his enemies with a simple finger flick.
He can talk to insects: His ant-like head gear in the comics is not just to make him look more like an ant. He has created a cybernetic helmet that allows him to communicate and control swarms of ants.
An original Avenger: Although this didn't happen in the films, in the comics Hank Pym worked along with Iron Man, Thor, The Hulk and The Wasp to help create the Avengers. As one of the founding members of the super team, his character is no stranger to taking on the heavy duty villains that Earth's mightiest heroes have to face. In fact, he's responsible for creating one of its most diabolical (and soon to be most famous).
He Created Ultron: Ultron, in the comics, is a genocidal robot that was an accidental creation of Pyms. The sequel to Joss Whedon's "Avengers" film will have James Spader taking on the role of the villain but, since that movie will be released before Paul Rudd's "Ant-Man" no one is sure exactly how the creation of Ultron will be explained.
Ant-Man is scheduled for a release in theaters on July 31, 2015. Meanwhile the Avengers sequel will be here a little sooner, opening in May of 2015.
A more complete list of these things to know about the character can be found HERE via Time.
