Paul Rudd (Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues) has landed the lead of Hank Pym in Edgar Wright’s Ant-Man, and is currently in early talks with the studio. Wright co-wrote the script with Joe Cornish (Attack the Block), one that centers on the scientist Pym who invented a substance known as Pym Particles that let him alter his size from nearly microscopic to gigantic. It looks like Rudd will be donning the special helmet, which both protects his identity and lets him communicate with ants and other insects, when Ant-Man debuts in theaters July 31, 2015. Hit the jump for more.

The Wrap reports that Rudd is in early talks to play the lead in Ant-Man, having beaten out another contender in Joseph Gordon-Levitt (who recently signed on to produce and star in Warner Bros.’ Sandman adaptation with an eye to direct). No plot details are currently available for Ant-Man, but with The Avengers: Age of Ultron scheduled to open a few months before the Wright film, it’s safe to assume Pym will be dealing with some of the fallout from the events of the superheroic sequel. The title villain of that film, however, will not be a major player in Wright’s Ant-Man.

In the comics, Pym was a founding member of The Avengers along with his girlfriend and crime-fighting partner, Janet Van Dyne, aka Wasp. Together, they took on a number of bad guys on their own, but played a big part in taking down Pym’s own robotic creation, Ultron, when it developed a taste for rebellion.

Some folks have noticed that Rudd is looking a bit thinner lately, and The Wrap reports that’s because he’s getting in shape for the Ant-Man role. Here’s a look at the slimmed-down Rudd during his recent hosting stint of Saturday Night Live:

I’d wager Rudd’s role in the Marvel universe will take a similar path to that of Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark/Iron Man. Both bring wit and humor to their human personas while their action-packed counterparts have the luxury of hiding behind a mask and suit of armor most of the time. I’m more curious about fan reaction to this news, so have at it in the comments!