The A-listers club was buzzing like a hive at the SXSW Film and TV Festival. Amid the whirlwind of all things cinematic, a few stars kept fans hanging by a thread, leaving them stranded in total cliffhanger mode. But none made quite the impact as Paul Rudd, who channeled his inner chameleon on the red carpet, effortlessly switching roles like a Marvel shape-shifter. When asked about his Ant-Man’s return to the Marvel universe, Rudd donned his most diplomatic persona, proving he could juggle superheroes and diplomacy with equal finesse.
While Ant-Man got a meta shout-out in last summer’s Deadpool & Wolverine
, here is what Rudd had to say when the question of his character’s return took a turn beyond Easter eggs and cameos.
Paul Rudd opens up about Ant-Man’s return in MCU at SXSW
Paul Rudd walked the red carpet of the 2025 SXSW Film and TV Festival for the surprise premiere of De— of a Unicorn
. As The Hollywood Reporter approached the Marvel actor, itching to gauge out some clues on his Marvel-ous return to the superhero universe as Ant-Man, Rudd adopted a more measured tone in addressing the questions
. Going back and forth with the classic “I don’t know,”
Rudd even fumbled for a minute before gathering clarity.
Paul Rudd talks about the possibility of getting back into his #AntMan suit with THR at #SXSW pic.twitter.com/bFj0s2Hh7v
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) March 12, 2025
What Rudd did reveal, though, was that he does not plan on straying too far from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, just in case they need some saving. Then again, the actor went back into the daze of “you never know,”
leaving fans on the edge of a cliffhanger. However, Rudd dodged the row of superhero questions, highlighting that “they [Marvel Studios] know where I am at,”
ending the interview with a laugh out loud sequence so confusing whether Marvel needs or not, the fans surely require his saving.
Since it remains unclear when or how Ant-Man will return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, here is a Deadpool & Wolverine
recap of the meta-joke that nearly filled the cape gap.
A trip down memory lane of Deadpool & Wolverine’s Paul Rudd joke
Deadpool & Wolverine
did not become the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time
just like that. It took a bit more than the inevitability of Thanos’ snap, coupled with Deadpool’s timeless jokes and a star-power of heroic and anti-heroic cameos. But one slot where the movie had the audience cracking up was when Wolverine urged the fourth wall breaker to mask it up as they prepared to grab a meal.
New footage of Wade and Logan in #DeadpoolAndWolverine pic.twitter.com/KfRfVrnzvF
— Deadpool Updates (@DeadpoolUpdate) May 5, 2024
The scene was first previewed in the IMAX exclusive trailers before the movie, where Deadpool highlighted the challenges of dining with a mask on. It then transitioned into the heroes approaching Giant Man’s skull, sparking Deadpool to give into his meta antics. The regenerative degenerate could not hold back, quipping how Paul Rudd has finally shown the signs of aging—a classic reference to Ant-Man who never ages by the day.
Read More: Paul Rudd’s Epic Rescue: How the ‘Ant-Man’ Star Saved the Grand Finale of ‘Friends’
What do you think of Paul Rudd’s revelations about Ant-Man’s return? Let us know in the comments below!