With early thoughts of Ant-Man slipping out from those lucky enough to catch a sneak peek of the film, a resounding cheer for Michael Peña has erupted.

After attending one of those screening, ComicBook.com had the chance to sit down with Peña and talk about his outstanding performance in the upcoming addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Although, we had to educate Peña on what the Ant-Man follow-up, Captain America: Civil War, will be all about, he did end up choosing a side.

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So, I love so many movies you’ve done before. American Hustle, Fury, Shooter, End of Ant-Man is something completely different. It’s a super hero film and heavy on special effects. What drew you into being a part of this movie?

You know, I want to shy away from any kind of controversy, but I wanted to work with Edgar Wright. I met him at his place in London and I didn’t really know his work. He’s like, “Oh, I wrote this part for you!” and I was like, “That’s really interesting.” I was doing Fury at the time and he showed me some of his work. I have a six year old kid, so the only things I see are like, Inside Out - which I loved, by the way - which was actually an amazing script. I wrote Jim Morris and I was like, “How the hell did you guys crack it?” It was a tough script. Even if I read the script, I’d be like, “wow, this is a great script!”

So anyway, I met him in London and then he showed me his work and I was like, “Oh my god, I’m in the house of a genius!” And I totally shit the bed. I’m literally watching things from all his different movies and the tone and how specific it is. He’s the one who cracked the story for Ant-Man. That’s why he’s got the shared credit. He’s an amazing guy and I want to work with him for sure but it was literally just to work with him. Literally, I’ll do whatever. That’s what I said, “I’m down. Whatever you want to put me in as long as it’s not an extra! I’ll do it!” And he’s like, “Alright, Mike!”

I think it was eight months later, he made an offer. I was attached to it. And like in every other movie there’s different writers that come on board and the final rewrite was a very Marvel movie which I thought was simple. It had a lot of heart. My part expanded quite a bit. I was just part of the heist and it turned out to be something completely different.

Were you a comic book fan before jumping onto Ant-Man?

I was. Oddly enough, my son really likes the Avengers. They have this great progression and great gradient for kids where it starts out like at 1 for like 3-year-olds, and then 2, it gets more sophisticated and I read him a bunch of Marvel stuff. He loved it but it’s so weird how he knows everything! I’m like, “I’m doing Ant-Man!” “For the Avengers?” “Yeah, yeah, yeah!”

But I was lying! I didn’t know he was one of the founding members. He’s like. “Yeah, dad!” and he opens up a book and shows me everything. It’s amazing. His mom’s a writer, so it’s all good. But he loves those books and I actually have probably three shelves in a book case of thick comic books. Like, The Preacher and stuff like that.

Oh, awesome!

By the way, I love the Preacher and Seth Rogen is doing a TV show about that.

Yeah! It just got going a couple of months ago.

I wanted to be in the Preacher! I’m gonna call Seth right now.

Speaking of connections, we know Paul Rudd is going to appear in Civil War, any chance you show up to help him out again?

I don’t know. I have no idea. God, it would be awesome. Civil War - you know more about than I do. Can you explain it?

Well, following the events of Age of Ultron the government is going to enact the Registration Act requiring all super heroes to register with the government and be responsible for their actions and always accounted for. Iron Man is for it, Captain America is against it.

Oh, wow!

Based on pictures from the set, Ant-Man is going to be in it, but we don’t know what role he’ll play just yet.

You can’t even see him! That’s a close to being invisible as you can get. He’s probably gonna be in it. Would I get the intel for that clan? For the Avengers? I have no idea.

You don’t think they would trust Luis the criminal with their secrets?

That would be amazing. I could just imagine Anthony Mackie… [In an Anthony Mackie voice] “Hey, man! What!” Cut the check! Wrap it up, man!” That’d be amazing.

That’s a pretty good Anthony Mackie.

I’ve done four movies with that dude!

That’s true! So, if you had to pick a side - Iron Man or Captain America, who’s side are you on?

I’m gonna say Iron Man.

You’re an Iron Man guy!

Well because it was one of the first movies… It was before Captain America and then what Robert Downey Jr did with that role I think changed the Marvel franchise. It was a huge leap of faith, you have to admit. With the things going on in his life and whatever, to make Robert Downey Jr Iron Man, you know what I mean? He does indy films. Amazing indy films. He’s a fantastic actor. I thought he should’ve won the Oscar when he played Charlie Chaplin. He put on a clinic and I’ve been a huge fan of his. I wouldn’t necessarily think, just like Paul Rudd in a way, that he wouldn’t necessarily be a super hero and he was perfect. I have to go with Iron Man.

Marvel just knows how to cast.

But the most unlikely guys! Huge leap of faith even casting Chris Pratt! I don’t think he even starred in a movie before the huge Guardians of the Galaxy.

Yeah, got jacked an knocked it out of the park.

Oh, yeah. I have the same trainer right now. Killing me. I can’t walk! Seriously. This is the first week.

What are you doing it for?

I’m doing CHiPS. I’m playing Ponch. First week - I lost like three or four pounds. It’s ridiculous. If you can work out for an hour and a half and almost throwing up every minute… It’s brutal.

So, since you’re getting in super hero shape, is there a super hero you would dream of playing?

You know, it’d be awesome to be one of the first Latin super heroes. Maybe Ant-Man. Ant-Man with a “G” at the end. He would give me limited powers. “Okay dude, we got you suit,” you know, like Paul Rudd, “but it’s got very limited powers.” “Can I shrink?” “Yes.” That’s all I need!

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Make sure you go watch Peña steal the screen in Ant-Man when it shrinks into theaters July 17 and stay tuned to ComicBook.com for more of our chat - next time about Easter Eggs and Marvel Universe references in Ant-Man!