Ant-Man Star Paul Rudd Addresses Marvel's Viral Avengers: Doomsday Cast Announcement

Last Wednesday, Marvel Studios shocked the internet with a surprise announcement of the cast of Avengers: Doomsday. Over the course of five hours, a video shared to X panned across director’s chairs with the names of cast members on them, revealing a new performer about every 15 minutes. Many of the actors were expected, such as Anthony Mackie, but there were a few surprises. Most notably, several members of the early 2000s X-Men trilogy cast are making their returns: Kelsey Grammer, Rebecca Romijn, Sir Patrick Stewart, Sir Ian McKellan, Alan Cumming, and James Marsden.

In response to the now-viral reveal, Ant-Man star Paul Rudd spoke about the major MCU update on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. When asked if he had any secrets about Avengers: Doomsday to share, the actor kept his cards close to his chest, stating: “There is nothing that I can tell you.” Explaining that Marvel is “very secretive,” Rudd quipped:

“Clearly, as we know, they never announce anything. This is—You know, it’s a major movie. You can’t be frivolous with this kind of stuff. It’s nothing like, you know, military secrets or anything. This is a major motion picture. This is not something you put in a group chat.”

The actor then acknowledged the joke made at his character’s expense in the announcement video. While every other actor had a full-sized chair, Rudd’s was smaller, in a nod to Ant-Man’s powers. Addressing this, he stated: “Y’know, I thought, ‘Oh, that’s clever. I’m Ant-Man.’ But there’s still a part of you that’s a little — it’s a little emasculating to have a little, tiny chair, at least finally one that will actually fit me when I sit down.“

Paul Rudd Refuses To Be The Next Marvel Leaker

The MCU has fallen victim to many leaks over the years, both as a result of set photos being unofficially released and actors accidentally sharing spoilers. Most notably, Spider-Man actor Tom Holland is known for constantly dropping details of upcoming Marvel projects. Rudd likely wants to avoid developing a similar reputation. Before the reveal he was in Avengers: Doomsday, he made it a point to shut down any MCU talk, saying: “As far as the Russos, they have my number. They know where I’m at, and that’s all I can say. I don’t really know how to play these things.“

10 Things We Hope Are True About Avengers: Doomsday Based On The Order Of The Cast Reveal

The MCU have announced a whopping 27 names for the Avengers: Doomsday cast, but the order in which they were revealed hint at potential narratives.

As for his tiny chair in the video, Rudd’s comedic response reiterates why he’s a fun presence in the MCU. The actor takes these jokes in stride and redirects them back at Marvel.

Ant-Man Remains A Pivotal Player In The MCU

Paul Rudd as Scott Lang in Ant-Man holding up his hands in a "number 1" pose

While Rudd couldn’t share any further details about Avengers: Doomsday, his inclusion in the film raises some interesting and exciting questions. Though Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania was a critical and financial disappointment, it positioned Ant-Man as having a deeper knowledge of the multiverse and the threats it holds. Whether or not he gets a regular-sized chair on set, it’ll be interesting to see how Rudd’s Ant-Man factors into Avengers: Doomsday.