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Paul Rudd, Michael Peña, Taika Waititi team up for Pepsi MAX ad, but Rudd wants Peyton Reed for 'Ant-Man 3'

Michael Pena and Paul Rudd star in the new Pepsi MAX ad (Pepsi)
Michael Pena and Paul Rudd star in the new Pepsi MAX ad (Pepsi)

Ant-Man stars Paul Rudd and Michael Peña have reunited for a new Pepsi MAX advert - directed by Thor: Ragnarok’s Taika Waititi - and it may be the last time we see them together on screen unless fans petition Marvel to make a third Ant-Man movie.

Most of these superhero stars cut a six-movie deal with Disney to appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Rudd tells Yahoo that he doesn’t know for certain if his character will get a third solo movie.

“I don’t know,” Rudd says. “You need to make a call to the top brass and start a campaign to make it happen.”

The actor has featured in four Marvel movies so far: Ant-Man, Captain America: Civil War, Ant-Man and the Wasp, and Avengers: Endgame.

A source claimed that both Ant-Man 3 and Thor 4 had been green lit by Marvel Studio’s boss Kevin Feige but no announcement has been made via official channels.

In the glitzy new commercial Rudd and Peña play a pair of astronauts who go to great lengths for a Pepsi MAX.

Rudd said that though the advert’s concept was ironed out beforehand they had room to improvise and add some humorous moments that weren’t in the script.

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“The way Taika works, and is also the way myself and Michael have worked in the Marvel films, is that we kind of stick with this template and play around with a few things,” the actor explained. “Taika really encourages it.”

Paul Rudd and Michael Pena reunite in a new Pepsi MAX ad (Credit: Pepsi)
Paul Rudd and Michael Pena reunite in a new Pepsi MAX ad (Credit: Pepsi)

“It seems as if when we were filming it, myself and Michael were even more of a pair of bumbling buffoons than when we had first read,” he added.

“There’s no way these two guys should be in charge of a space mission so we added in extra falls, fell several times, you know, it’s hard to run in a space suit.”

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Working with Waititi was an experience that was “worthy of you to be jealous of” Rudd said, but his loyalties still lie with Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp director Peyton Reed to helm the third instalment.

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 08:  Paul Rudd(R) and Michael Pena attend the European Premiere of Marvel's "Ant-Man" at Odeon Leicester Square on July 8, 2015 in London, England.  (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage)
Paul Ruddand Michael Pena attend the European Premiere of Marvel's "Ant-Man". (David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage)

“I was so excited,” he said. “I am such a fan of his and the whole experience was a blast but Peyton is my guy.”

“I always have an awesome time working with Paul and this was such a fun piece to shoot,” adds Peña in a press release. “We had a blast on set with Pepsi MAX and I hope people enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making it.”

Under the newly introduced international tagline and brand platform – FOR THE LOVE OF IT, Pepsi MAX is encouraging people to go all in for the things they love, from football and music to epic entertainment, with Pepsi MAX at the heart of it all.

Join the conversation online with #FORTHELOVEOFIT.