Anchorman Director Adam McKay in Advanced Talks to Direct Ant-Man Movie

Director Edgar Wright departed Marvel's Ant-Man project last weekend despite his connection to the project for a decade. The search then began for a new director, and it looks like Anchorman director Adam McKay could helm the project that kicks of Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Variety reports McKay is in "advanced talks" to replace Wright as director. Ant-Man is still scheduled for release on July 17, 2015, and filming is scheduled to begin later this summer.

McKay also has a long working relationship with star Paul Rudd thanks to the two Anchorman movies. The cast also includes Evangeline Lilly and Michael Douglas.

Wright's much-publicized departure from Marvel's Ant-Man project has centered on creative differences between the writer/director and the studio and The Hollywood Reporter notes some insiders believe Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios will have trouble meeting the July 17, 2015 release date.

"Sources say the film's key crew -- its heads of departments -- departed when it became clear production would not begin as scheduled July 28," the article states. "[Paul] Rudd's reps say he's still in, and a source close to the production says all key crew positions will be filled shortly."

The article also reports Marvel was not happy with Wright's version "for weeks" and Feige "ordered revisions of the script that was co-written by Wright and Joe Cornish." Wright accepted the revisions but more rewrites without his input caused him to walk away.

The Hollywood Reporter goes on to state Feige and Marvel have a certain way of doing things, and Wright's version may have been too quirky for them.

"Kevin Feige [and his top lieutenants] run Marvel with a singularity of vision, but when you take a true auteur and throw him into the mix, this is what you get," says one of The Hollywood Reporter's sources. "They don't want you to speak up too much or have too much vision. People who have never worked there don't understand how they operate, but if you trust them, they have an amazing track record."

Is McKay the right choice to direct Ant-Man? Let us know in the comments below.