In 2015, Marvel Studios was at the height of its power. A second Avengers movie had proved the success of the first one wasn’t a fluke (even if “Age of Ultron” wasn’t quite as well-received). The Marvel Cinematic Universe was coasting towards another major crossover with “Captain America: Civil War,” which would introduce Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther to the MCU. The studio seemed unstoppable, and it was about to take its biggest risk yet.
Released on July 17, 2015, “Ant-Man” was a $130 million blockbuster (cheap by MCU standards at the time). It starred an actor best known for making R-rated comedies as a superhero that casual movie fans had never even heard of. We all know what happened next: “Ant-Man” was a hit and Paul Rudd became Marvel’s latest Avenger, returning to star in two more sequels and various crossovers.
