Earlier this morning, three comedy directors—Adam McKay, Ruben Fleischer, and Rawson Marshall Thurber—were reported as potential contenders to helm Marvel's forthcoming Ant-Man movie, following Edgar Wright's unexpected exit last week. Though The Wrap has since declared Thurber (We're the Millers) a front-runner to direct the 2015 Marvel adaptation, Ain't It Cool News now reports that it is The Other Guys director Adam McKay who is in final talks with the studio. "Marvel made the offer this afternoon, and both sides are expected to work out a deal," claims the site. Given that both sources are considerably credible, we won't know for sure which director is actually the front-runner until we hear "shortly" from the horse's mouth, or Marvel's. However, should Adam McKay nab the Ant-Man gig, it would re-team him with Anchorman actor Paul Rudd. In addition to The Legend of Ron Burgundy and its 2013 sequel, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, McKay's directing credits include the hilarious Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Step Brothers and The Other Guys. The frequent Will Ferrell-collaborator also penned those action/comedies.



UPDATE: After acknowleding that Rawson Marshall Thurber was previously "believed" to be the front-runner to direct Ant-Man, both The Wrap and The Hollywood Reporter now confirm Ain't It Cool News' scoop that Adam McKay is Marvel's guy and has been all along. "Sources now indicate that McKay is eager to take on the challenge of replacing fanboy favorite Wright," they report, "and would likely accept the job should Marvel tender an official offer." What do you think?



Anyhow, with Marvel announcing a director soon, Ant-Man stars Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Michael Pena and Patrick Wilson, and will release July 17, 2015.