Paul Rudd is in "early negotiations" to play the eponymous Ant-Man for Marvel, sources have confirmed to both The Wrap and Variety.

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The rumours of Rudd's involvement with Ant-Man began in October , when sources told Variety that both he and Joseph Gordon-Levitt were considered as front-runners for the role, and were going to meet with Marvel execs and Ant-Man director Edgar Wright one more time that month before a decision was made. While Gordon-Levitt later refuted these reports , rumblings of Rudd's involvement resurfaced in November, and now it seems he is definitively the man for the part.As we've noted before, Rudd is a strong comedic actor with a history of playing somewhat sardonic, wise-cracking characters, which seems to be the angle Wright is taking for Henry Pym, the scientist who can change his size.The rumor mill recently suggested Rudd's I Love You, Man love interest Rashida Jones was up for the female lead.Edgar Wright is directing Marvel's Ant-Man based off a script he co-wrote with Joe Cornish. The film releases in theaters July 31, 2015.

Lucy O'Brien is Entertainment Editor at IGN AU. Follow her ramblings on IGN or Twitter.