Dec 10, 2015 By Lou Gaul for The 2 min read

With its decidedly different superhero, “Ant-Man,” who is part of the Marvel universe, didn’t initially seem like he would become a cinematic giant.

But that’s what happened.

The impressive PG-13 picture, which cost $130 million, stars the gifted Paul Rudd in the title role and features Michael Douglas, Anthony Mackie, Judy Greer and Evangeline Lilly. The story follows Rudd’s Scott Lang, a con-man-turned-superhero with the ability — via a special suit — to become an incredibly shrinking man and use the tiniest creatures to battle evil.

Thanks to smart plot twists and feel-good vibes by director Peyton Reed (“Bring It On”) and Rudd’s on-target performance that balances light moments with action-hero sequences, “Ant-Man” enjoyed, according to Box Office Mojo, a huge global gross of $518,314,934. (“Ant-Man” is available on DVD and Blu-ray Disc and is available in 2-D and 3-D.)

In an interview with theguardian.com at the time of the film’s July 17 release, Rudd, whose acting credits include “Anchorman” and “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” recognized that some people might not be clear on a superhero who can shrink to about the size of a pencil point.

On the website, Rudd said:

“I knew being in this would make people say: ‘What? Really?’ “But this is partly why he works in the film — after all, a movie about a man whose special power is that he comes ant-sized is not calling for a classic macho man (although Rudd did buff up a little for the film, a process he describes, with sweet nerdiness, as “enjoyable — it was fun for me to have that kind of focus.”).”

According to High-Def Digest, the extras on the Blu-ray of “Ant-Man” include:

Audio commentary by Rudd and Reed; a making-of featurette (“The Making of an Ant-Sized Heist”); a featurette on creating a world from Ant-Man’s perspective; deleted scenes and a gag reel.

Lou Gaul is the retired film critic for Calkins Media.