'Ant-Man 3' star Paul Rudd says he tried to 'bulk up' to match costar Jonathan Majors but it was 'pointless'

• "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" is in theaters Friday.
• Paul Rudd said on "The Graham Norton Show" that he worked hard to "bulk up" for the movie.

Paul Rudd said he tried to "bulk up" to match his "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" costar Jonathan Majors, but it was "pointless."

In the latest Marvel movie, Scott Lang (Rudd) goes head to head with one of the most dangerous Marvel villains, Kang the Conqueror, played by Majors.

During his appearance on "The Graham Norton Show," which airs Friday in the UK, Rudd was asked about getting into shape for his showdown with Majors.

"He was terrifying, and it was pretty intense," the actor said. "I tried to bulk up and get in shape, but it was pointless compared to Jon, and why do it when Ant-Man never takes his shirt off."

Rudd told Men's Health earlier this month that he found it hard to get back into superhero shape for the sequel.

"I worked really hard to get back into shape for 'Quantumania,' and I realized, oh my God, this is so much harder than it was [for the last Ant-Man project]," Rudd, 53, said. "I had fallen off more than I had in the past. All of a sudden my clothes fit tight. And I thought, God, this sucks. I can't even wear these pants. So I'd say to myself, Well, I might as well just eat some of these cookies. I was irritable and self-conscious. I just wasn't in a good mood. I really beat myself up."

Scott's fight with Kang appears to get quite savage since Rudd told Access Hollywood last week that Marvel had to tone down the violence in the final cut.

When asked about the blood on Rudd's face in one scene, the actor replied: "They actually had to tone it down. They had to tone it down. They're like, 'You know what, this is a little too much.'"

"Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" is in theaters now.