Adam McKay

Marvel is all about bigness. In the last couple years, the comic-book company turned Hollywood goliath has become become synonymous with a certain kind of blockbuster that’s so large it metastasizes beyond its own borders and crosses over into others. Marvel doesn’t make movies; they make universes. But you can paint yourself into a corner by perpetually topping yourself. At a certain point, how much bigger can you get?

ScreenCrush’s Comic Strip is a weekly roundup of the hottest superhero movie/TV news items. From Marvel to DC and points in between, if it pertains to costumed comic book heroes, we’re covering it here, bringing you our expert analysis. This week, a potential title for the new Spider-Man movie may contain some story hints, new Fantastic Four information teases a weird change from the comics, and a potential update on the new Aquaman villain.

In case you were not aware, there’s been a little dispute over at Marvel regarding the Ant-Man writing credits. Edgar Wright and Joe Cornish originally wrote the screenplay for the pint-sized superhero film, but once Wright departed the project, Adam McKay and Paul Rudd did a little rewriting. While Marvel intended to give Wright and Cornish “story by” credit only, the pair will now get a screenwriting credit following the results of their recent dispute.

Anchorman director Adam McKay came pretty close to directing Ant-Man before Marvel brought Peyton Reed in to replace Edgar Wright. While McKay’s scheduling conflicts wouldn’t allow for the director to direct for the studio last year, he still lent a helping hand, working with Paul Rudd to spruce up the screenplay a bit. Apparently McKay made something of an impression on Marvel — rumor has it they’re eyeing him to direct an upcoming project.

Parks and Recreation came to an end last week after seven wonderful seasons, and now that you’ve dried your eyes from the buckets of tears you undoubtedly cried, Amy Poehler is ready to make you laugh again. The Second City improv group has revealed clips from a lost pilot for a ’90s sitcom starring Poehler as a hacker in a terrible era-appropriate vest. It’s…well, it’s something.

Just the other day we reported that Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt, and Christian Bale are set to star in ‘The Big Short,’ aka the hunkiest movie ever made featuring a bunch of hunks. And it looks like Steve Carell really wants to be a hunk too, as he’s just joined the cast of the new film, which is being adapted by ‘Anchorman’ director Adam McKay from the bestselling book by Michael Lewis.

When you think of Brad Pitt, Christian Bale and Ryan Gosling, you don’t exactly think of high comedy—does Christian Bale even smile?—yet, the three have signed on to star in ‘The Big Short’, a new film based on a script by ‘Anchorman’ and ‘Step Brothers’ director Adam McKay, who may also direct. Before you get too excited at the prospect of stone-faced Method actors Christian Bale and Ryan Gosling co-starring in a goofy comedy, spoiler alert: it’s not a comedy.

For a little hero, ‘Ant-Man’ has already faced some pretty big obstacles in his journey from comic to movie. Marvel’s ‘Ant-Man’ film was first announced all the way back in 2006, and developed alongside the very first ‘Iron Man,’ but it’s only coming out now, nine years later. Much of that time it was under the direction of Edgar Wright, who developed the film’s story with ‘Attack the Block’ filmmaker Joe Cornish and cast Paul Rudd as his diminutive Avenger. But just as ‘Ant-Man’ was about to finally go into production, Wright left the project over creative differences with Marvel, who eventually replaced him with Peyton Reed, while handing over Wright and Cornish’s script to Rudd and his ‘Anchorman’ director Adam McKay for revisions.

Once upon a time, as Edgar Wright left 'Ant-Man' and their upcoming superhero movie was crumbling to pieces, the film's star Paul Rudd reached out directly to his 'Anchorman' director Adam McKay to see if he would be interested in filling in. McKay was interested (he's a big comic book fan), met with Marvel and was quickly offered the job. Negotiations began. Everyone assumed this was happening. And then, McKay "abruptly" pulled out of talks with Marvel, deciding not to move forward with the project. But, after that brief flirtation, could he return to direct another Marvel movie?

In the many months since director Edgar Wright parted ways with Marvel on 'Ant-Man,' it's been unclear just how much the project would change. With new director Peyton Reed on board and Adam McKay ('Anchorman') brought in to rewrite the script, things are back on track for the film to make its 2015 release date. And thanks to a new interview with McKay, we have a more clear idea about how much has changed between Wright's and Reed's versions of the film -- including how much star Paul Rudd helped shape the script.