- Paul Rudd felt a sense of “inadequacy” standing next to Chris Hemsworth’s impressive physique as Thor.
- Rudd questioned the worth of his own Ant-Man diet but also expressed gratitude for not having to maintain Thor’s body.
- Rudd will continue to play Ant-Man in future Avengers movies and other projects.
Chris Hemsworth’s remarkable physique for Thor: Love & Thunder made his fellow actor, Paul Rudd, wonder if his own Ant-Man diet was worth it. Even though Hemsworth portrayed an out-of-shape Thor in Avengers: Endgame, standing next to him made Rudd question the value of adhering to his Ant-Man diet.
Rudd returned as Ant-Man in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, where he defeated a powerful variant of Kang the Conqueror. Speaking to the Off Menu podcast with humor, Rudd discussed his experience working with Hemsworth on the Avengers movies and how it was both disheartening and made him glad his character did not need Thor’s physique. He recalled:
“I remember on Endgame, Chris Hemsworth would always have these Tupperware containers and he’s eating this gruel of just a mash of stuff. He’s working out, and then you stand next to a guy like that, and I just think, ‘Well, what’s the point of any of this?’ Why am I killing myself when that can exist, and then I look at myself and this exists. I can never achieve that. … That was the good thing that it was Ant-Man, it isn’t Thor. But I tried to work out, and it didn’t work.”
As part of the current Marvel heroes, Rudd’s Ant-Man will likely play a crucial role in the Avengers team, taking on Kang’s variants in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars, provided the plan stays on track. Rudd first appeared as Ant-Man in 2015, with a mostly standalone storyline that gradually became interconnected with the broader Marvel universe.
Ant-Man’s role became more significant in Avengers: Endgame by suggesting the Quantum Realm as a means to defeat Thanos. In Quantumania, the dangers of the Quantum Realm were further explored, as Lang (Ant-Man) encountered Kang. Some fans were unhappy with Ant-Man defeating the MCU’s newest villain, contributing to mixed reviews and a lower box office. However, the movie’s ending set the stage for a Kang-centric future and a glimpse at Loki’s second season, introducing another variant of Kang: Victor Timely.
While Jonathan Majors, who plays Kang, faces legal issues that could impact the character’s future in the MCU, Rudd is set to appear in the next Avengers film and will reprise his role as Grooberson in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire in 2024.