Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania Director Explains Why He Recast Cassie

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Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania director Peyton Reed explains why Cassie Lang was recast for the movie. While Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has become one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's most controversial entries due to the film's middling reviews and disappointing box office numbers, the movie did get one important Ant-Man aspect right. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania hinged on the relationship between Paul Rudd's Scott Lang and his daughter Cassie, and new actress Kathryn Newton seamlessly took over the young hero's role. Now, Reed explains why he chose Newton for Cassie.
On Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's audio commentary (via The Direct), Reed explained why he recast Cassie with Newton. According to the director, he was a longtime admirer of Newton's work, with Reed explaining how the actress has both the acting talents and the physicality needed to play the 18-year-old Cassie. Reed claimed that he wanted someone who "could really hang with Paul Rudd and sort of not be left in the dust." The director makes no mention of Avengers: Endgame's Cassie actress Emma Fuhrmann in the passage, only comparing Newton to the previous Ant-Man franchise's Cassie actress, Abby Ryder Fortson. Check out the full quote below:

“We’ve just introduced our now 18-year-old Cassie Lang. Kathryn Newton, of course, an actor who I have admired for a long time. And when we were talking about Cassie in this movie, she’s aged five years since the events of 'Ant-Man and The Wasp.' And I wanted someone in that role who could really hang with Paul Rudd and sort of not be left in the dust."
"She’s gotta be sharp, and quick, and funny. And also, [Newton] is an athlete. She’s a world-class golfer. She has the physicality for the role.”
“It’s a tricky thing, because Abby Ryder Fortson, who plays six-year-old and then nine-year-old Cassie in the first two movies, is such a winning personality. And… now that you’re with 18-year-old Cassie, you had to really like the idea, ‘Oh, wow! She grew up into this person.’"

Which Future MCU Project Cassie Lang May Appear In?

With Cassie now being an adult with her own superhero suit in the MCU, there are numerous possibilities for Newton to take the character on new adventures. Given Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania being the project responsible for introducing the MCU's new big bad, Kang the Conqueror, the Ant-Man family is likely going to be heavily involved in the battle to protect the multiverse from the villainous Council of Kangs, the team of multiversal Kang variants that was introduced in one of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's post-credits scenes.
Newton's Cassie Lang should play a role in both of the next Avengers movies — The Kang Dynasty and Secret Wars — as the MCU's heroes, and probably some from the multiverse as well, band together to stop the threat presented by the Kangs. Cassie's possible role in the next two Avengers movies could lead to the young hero forming her own version of the team, which has been rumored to be in Marvel's plans for some time.
There have been some rumors about a Young Avengers series being in development. At 18, Cassie could be one of the team's leaders. The MCU's Phase 4 was all about opening up the door for new characters that can take on the role of MCU veterans in the future. Names like Hailee Steinfeld's Kate Bishop and Xochitl Gomez's America Chavez are likely set for roles if the series is indeed happening. Given the MCU's influx of young heroes during Phase 4, it seems like Newton's Cassie will have a long road ahead of her after the actress' debut in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
Source: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania's audio commentary (via The Direct)
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