WIRE Buzz: Rick and Morty scribe writing Ant-Man 3; Divergent author & producers re-teaming for fantasy film

In the immortal words of Steve Martin, "Let's get small." Amidst the news that Disney is putting the bulk of its releases on hold, including several Marvel Studios films, one MCU movie is still going forward … with preproduction at least.

Ant-Man 3 has landed Rick and Morty scribe Jeff Loveness to pen the script for the upcoming Marvel movie. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Marvel sealed the deal at the start of the Hollywood shutdown caused by the coronavirus epidemic. Loveness has already begun writing the third Ant-Man film. 

Peyton Reed, who directed the first two Ant-Man films, 2015’s Ant-Man and 2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp, will return to helm the third installment. Paul Rudd is expected to reprise the titular role.

In addition to Rick and Morty, Loveness has also written for Marvel comics, having contributed to such titles as Groot and Nova, among others.

No word yet on when production for Ant-Man 3 will begin. Considering Hollywood's on lockdown and Loveness just started the script, it probably won't be for a while, though. 

Veronica Roth, author of the Divergent series, has sold the film rights to her forthcoming fantasy novel, Chosen Ones. Per The Hollywood Reporter, which first broke the news, Picturestart, the company run by former Lionsgate executive Erik Feig, has bought the rights and will produce the film. 

Feig also bought the rights to Divergent, back when he was head of Summit Entertainment. Pouya Shahbazian, one of the original Divergent producers, will also produce along with Roth.

(Credit: Amazon)

Set in Chicago at a time when the world just discovered that magic is real, Chosen Ones follows Sloane Andrews a decade after helping defeat “The Dark One,” and now grappling with PTSD and the prospect that the fight may not be done.

The title will be published simultaneously with an Audible recording featuring Dakota Fanning as the voice of Sloane Andrews.