AceShowbiz -

It's official, Paul Rudd is the male lead in "Ant-Man". In a press release confirming the long-rumored casting, Marvel says Rudd is the actor that they "had long ago identified as its first choice" to take on the lead role in the upcoming big-screen take on Dr. Hank Pym superhero tale.

"When Edgar Wright came to us with the idea of Paul Rudd, we felt a huge sense of relief because the first step in creating any Marvel Studios film is finding the right star," producer Kevin Feige says. "We knew early on that we had found the right person in Paul."

He continues, "When he not only agreed to do it but became as enthusiastic as any actor we'd ever met with about doing the work, we knew we'd found the right guy. We couldn't be more excited for our audiences to see what he's going to do to bring Ant-Man to life."

Hank Pym is one of Marvel's earliest heroes. He is a brilliant scientist who invented a substance that allowed him to change his size. Edgar Wright ("Scott Pilgrim vs. the World") will direct the script he co-wrote with Joe Cornish. The film is due in the U.S. on July 31, 2015.

Rudd was initially mentioned as a contender for the lead role along with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, but the "Don Jon" star later announced his commitment to another superhero film "Sandman". He is expected to star in, produce along with David S. Goyer, and possibly direct the movie based on Neil Gaiman's DC Comics book for Warner Bros.