It’s official, Paul Rudd is going to be Ant-Man in Marvel’s upcoming Ant-Man film slated for release July 31st, 2015 and directed by Edgar Wright. I couldn’t be more excited as I heard the rumors of Rudd’s possible involvement and Marvel looking at him as their first choice. Yesterday, when Marvel finally confirmed what everyone was already suspecting, I was over the moon. I mean, come on, anyone can see why Rudd is the perfect choice for bringing Ant-Man to life, regardless of which iteration of Ant-Man he will be playing.

1. He’s got the look.

Ant-Man has a very lithe build. Sure he’s got some muscle on him, but overall he looks like a solid man. Sure Hank Pym is a little bit larger than Scott Lang, but neither of them are Thor or Captain America large when it comes to muscle mass. Not just that, but Paul Rudd looks like he could be thrown into a technical office and belong. It’s important when one of the key elements of either Ant-Man is that they are very smart men. I would hate to walk into a film and not believe that the main character who is known for being one smart cookie, just doesn’t come off that way.

2. He’s got charisma.

One of the most important things when it comes to casting a part is recognizing whether the actor can actually carry the film. It is so easy for someone to be cast for name recognition or looks and then fail to bring their character to life. Ultimately that’s the goal. Name recognition can do wonders, but if the actor can’t become their character and make everything they do feel real, it doesn’t matter. Thankfully, Paul Rudd is more charasmatic than most people I’ve seen on screen. Even in films that were less than stellar, Rudd brings something to his parts that make you understand why people wanted to work with him. He often steals the show, so it makes sense that they would want to put all the charisma center stage for all the world to appreciate.

3. He’s excited about being Ant-Man.

There’s nothing more important than an actor being excited about their role. I’ve seen far too many performances over the year where you could tell that the actor was just going through the motions. The fact that Paul Rudd is actually excited to be stepping into the role makes all the difference from a dull performance to something that is positively thrilling to see on screen. I can just imagine the joy that he will bring to the character while teaming up with the brilliant Edgar Wright.

4. He’ll bring the funny.

Paul Rudd has done a lot of work in his years. He’d been serious. He’s been endearing. But most people know him for being funny and there’s a good reason for that. He’s really freaking good at making us laugh. Now, some people may say that he just chooses good roles for himself. That is certainly part of it, but at the end of the day, he is just a very funny man. Paul Rudd has a natural humor which will play nicely with whichever iteration of Ant-Man the film is highlighting. Marvel movies have all tried to keep the level of humor up. It would be great if we did get to see what Joss Whedon would have done with Rudd in Avengers, but I’m certain Edgar Wright will bring out Rudd’s comedic genius.

5. He’s Paul freaking Rudd.

Now, this might be a bit of my idolization shining through, but Paul Rudd is the perfect choice. When I first heard that he was in consideration for the role, my mind went to: If anyone other than Paul Rudd is cast as Ant-Man it will never be as good. I had no shame, but others seemed to agree with me on the internet. Rudd is a wonderful choice with great range. He’s a hilarious and genuine man who I’m certain will sell Ant-Man in a believable and enjoyable way.

Now that Paul Rudd has been cast, we can all shift our attentions to figuring out if they will be depicting Hank Pym or Scott Lang. I believe Hank Pym has a wider range or stories, but Scott Lang may be the more enjoyable on screen version From various interviews it seems as though it will be Scott Lang in the Ant-Man suit.

How do you feel about Paul Rudd being cast as Ant-man? Which do you prefer, Hank Pym or Scott Lang?