Image: Marvel
1. Paul Rudd rocks as Ant-Man
Known more for playing the "every-man" in rom-coms, Rudd makes a very relatable hero by subtly tapping his comedic ability. There are no flashy antics or abs of steel with Rudd. His character, Scott Lang, is an ex-con who's trying to win his place back into his young daughter's life.
More: Marvel's latest casting news will make Beyoncé's BeyHive epically freak out
2. It's a heist movie
According to the film's producer, Kevin Feige, Ant-Man is a movie that is very different from anything Marvel has dreamed up before. "Like Guardians of the Galaxy, it really feels like we are continuing to surprise audiences with how vast the Marvel Cinematic Universe can be and how diverse it can be and how unique it can be from film to film. So coming off of Avengers: Age of Ultron, which is a sprawling, giant epic, we have Ant-Man, which goes to much smaller scales but has that same level of thrill and that same level of Marvel-style action," Feige said.
3. Ants are the superheroes of the insect world
Ants are natural defenders of their complex colonies when facing a predator. Not only can they sting, bite, spray or inject chemicals into their attacker, ants also need to protect their colonies against germs. Some worker ants are even tasked with keeping the nest clean.
Image: Marvel
4. Ant-Man sets up a female superhero
Make sure you stay through the end credits when you see Ant-Man so you can catch an extra scene that reveals Dr. Hank Pym has created a special ant suit for his daughter, Hope (Evangeline Lilly), teasing that she might just be the first Ant-Woman.
5. Film celebrates father-daughter relationships
Both Dr. Pym and Scott Lang have daughters in the film, and each of their relationships is complicated. Both daughters, Hope and Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson) respectively, see their fathers as their own personal heroes, inspiring the men to overcome their own flaws and be the best dads they can be. It's really refreshing to see two fathers expressing their love for their little girls in a superhero flick.
More: New TV show attempts to create gender parity in engineering
6. Michael Peña is hilarious
Luis (Michael Peña) is Scott's buddy from prison, and he always has Scott's back. But Peña is so darn hilarious, he steals every scene away from Rudd, and we can't get enough. The two actors had such great chemistry that the filmmakers even wrote extra scenes for Peña that were added to the film. We sure hope Peña's back for the sequel.
Image: Marvel
7. Sometimes smaller is better
We're used to seeing super-strong action heroes with powerful weapons, but Ant-Man's ability to shrink down to the size of an insect offers so many exciting possibilities for action scenes that we've never seen on-screen before. The scene where Ant-Man escapes from jail is pure genius.
More: Who is Deadpool and why is everyone so excited about him?
8. Michael Douglas is a true movie star
Even at age 70, Michael Douglas has all the charm and charisma to helm a Marvel movie, and that's no small feat. He's a father and husband in real life, and his love for his family translates into his multidimensional portrayal of Dr. Pym.
9. Pym Particles
According to Marvel Entertainment, Pym Particles are technology that allow "a person to shrink down to the size of an ant. When the wearer wants to change size, he uses a button on the suit that regulates the Pym Particles, which run through the suit and helmet like an intricate system of veins. The particles are volatile and change the distance between atoms, so the suit and helmet serve as protection for the wearer." So even though Ant-Man doesn't technically have superpowers, energy and mass compact to make him stronger than the average human. So cool!
Ant-Man opens on Friday, July 17.
Ant-Man trailer
