Michael Douglas's acting career has consisted mostly of dramas and thrillers, and the actor has received numerous awards for taking on pretty diverse role. His new role as Hank Pym in "Ant-Man," however, is something completely new for the actor, and he has explained why he decided to take it on.
"It was just after seeing 'Guardians of the Galaxy' in IMAX 3D, and it blew my mind. I loved it. I loved the sense of humor. I looked at the Ant-Man script and saw the tone being set - the sense of adventure with a comedic twist," he told Marvel.com.
"My entire career, which is a lot of movies, has just been contemporary stories with no special effects, no nothing. Just psychological, real stories," he added. "This film, to me, was just excitement. This is great. I wanted to get into the Marvel world, you know? I want to taste the Kool-Aid."
Before "Ant-Man," Douglas said that he has never seen a blue screen, and it took a while for him to get used to do "little red dot on your shoulder" while acting, which after all the visual effects have been put into place, will be Paul Rudd in the Ant-Man suit.
When asked about his character, Douglas describes Pym as a "formal guy" who unfortunately lost control of his company, so he's going through a time warp. He is a great tinkerer, so he spends his time in his lab and basement. Because of what happened with his company, Pym feels very bitter and is actually terrified of what the future has in store for him.
As for Ant-Man, Douglas says the superhero stands out compared to other superheroes found in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it's not just because of his size. Ant-Man has special powers, and his process into becoming a superhero is quite unique, although nothing compared to some of the Avengers, the actor said. So ultimately, it's his personal story that places him a cut above the rest.
"This one seems to have more personal stories, like my relationship with my daughter or Scott's relationship with his daughter," he said. "There's a running line between my reconciliation with my daughter Hope and Scott and his daughter, Cassie. In both situations, the relationship has been alienated, and ultimately comes together at a time when each of them had sacrificed themselves."
Douglas said that in the end, that human aspect of the film will really resonate with fans, and they will be touched and inspired to see families coming together against "omnipotent adversaries."
