As anticipation for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ continues to build, Marvel fans are dissecting every frame of the newly released trailer and every comment made by the film’s sprawling cast. The returns are surprising, the stakes are multiversal, and the Russo Brothers are back in the director’s chair, so the expectations are high.
However, in the midst of all the hype, one of the most popular stars of the MCU has made a very refreshingly honest and, at the same time, somewhat confusing contribution to the story of the film.
What Paul Rudd Accidentally Revealed About ‘Avengers: Doomsday’
The latest example is Paul Rudd, who has played Scott Lang/Ant-Man since 2015, discussing ‘Avengers: Doomsday‘ in a manner that he alone could: humorously, charismatically, and with enough ambiguity to make fans question whether Marvel really has all the pieces of the puzzle in place. His remarks might appear to be informal at first glance, but they provide an intriguing insight into the way Marvel Studios functions when it has to balance its largest, most secretive crossovers.
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Paul Rudd, appearing on the New Heights podcast, hosted by NFL stars Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce, was asked the question that fans have been desperately seeking to have answered: What exactly is ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ about? The reaction of Rudd was typical. He answered, with a smile, I am not quite sure what it is. “I’ll be honest with you, I’m not really sure what it is.” On the surface, the remark appears to be a joke. However, the more you sit with it, the more it reveals itself.
Rudd didn’t tease. He didn’t dodge the rehearsed “I can’t say.” He simply admitted uncertainty. That ambiguity has led to the speculation that ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ could still be being developed under the carpet. In the case of a movie of this magnitude, such a concept may be frightening for other fans. However, to Marvel fans, it is strangely familiar. Marvel Studios has a long history of having a fluid, constantly shifting creative process, particularly for its largest ensemble movies.
Scripts are rewritten. Character arcs are adjusted. Whole scenes are introduced or deleted late into production. Rudd’s remark is a good addition to that tradition, and it indicates that the ‘Doomsday’ is built in layers rather than locked in stone. There is also a possibility that Rudd, like many MCU actors, is aware of nothing more than what he absolutely must know. Marvel has a reputation for keeping information. Actors can know the journey of their own character without being able to see the whole picture. In that regard, his response is less confusing and more of a business-as-usual in the Marvel machine.
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If the idea of an evolving script sounds risky, history suggests otherwise. Marvel’s most successful film, ‘Avengers: Endgame’, was famously still taking shape while cameras were rolling. At one point, Chris Hemsworth even stated that even the ‘Endgame’ script was not completely written at the time of production, even though the movie ended up being one of the highest-grossing films of all time.
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It is worth noting that ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ brings Marvel back to the same creative team as ‘Endgame’. Joe and Anthony Russo are back in the directorial position, and Stephen McFeely is back as a writer. One major reason for this adaptability is logistics. Deals close late. Availability changes. When the appropriate actor is available, characters are added. When this happens, the story will automatically develop to fit in new pieces.
Another factor is secrecy. ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ is obviously being set as a turning point in the Multiverse Saga, particularly following the confirmation of Chris Evans’ return as Steve Rogers in the trailer. Such an eye-opener is enough to change the perception of the scope of the film. Moreover, keeping actors partially in the dark helps Marvel protect its surprises and maintain narrative control in an era where leaks can spread instantly. However, importantly, fans shouldn’t interpret Rudd’s comments as a sign of trouble.
