Although Furhmann only played Cassie Lang in two scenes, the decision to cast her for Avengers: Endgame meant she could have continued playing the role in subsequent MCU projects. However, Marvel Studios decided instead to recast Cassie once again for the Cassie Lang in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

Related: Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania Ending Explained (In Detail)

Why The MCU Recast Cassie Lang

Casting Kathryn Newton in the role of Cassie Lang for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania put a bigger and more recognizable star in the role. This makes sense considering Cassie could have a much larger role in the MCU's future - as in the comics, Cassie Lang s the Young Avengers as Stature, and later becomes Stinger. While Avengers: Endgame's Emma Fuhrmann is a relatively lower-profile actor, Newton has had roles in TV series such as Big Little Lies and Little Women, and has film experience with Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, Lady Bird, and Pokémon Detective Pikachu - which would perhaps be beneficial for Marvel Studios.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania director Peyton Reed explained on the film's audio commentary that he was excited about Kathryn Newton assuming the role for the Phase 5 film. Subtly explaining the recast, Reed noted that he wanted someone "who could really hang with Paul Rudd and sort of not be left in the dust," mentioning that whoever performed as Cassie needed to be "sharp, and quick, and funny." He also praised Newton's athletic ability, referencing her world-class golfing and reasoning that she "has the physicality for the role." Newton brought a rougher edge to the character that was more reminiscent of someone raised by a superhero in the MCU.

How Old Cassie Lang Is In The MCU

Marvel Studios previously established that Cassie Lang was born in 2007, making her eight years old when the events of the MCU's first Ant-Man film take place - contradictory to Cassie's comment in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania that she was six years old when Yellowjacket attacked her. Set three years later, Ant-Man and the Wasp showcased Cassie at eleven years old before Avengers: Endgame's five-year time jump placed Emma Fuhrmann's version of the character at 16. In Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania - set two years after the events of Endgame, Cassie is now 18, though she is portrayed by 26-year-old Kathryn Newton.

Why Cassie Lang's Recasting Isn't Weird

The decision to replace Emma Fuhrmann with Kathryn Newton makes sense for Marvel Studios. There are surely big plans for Cassie Lang's future in the MCU, particularly if the Young Avengers from before the MCU's Multiverse Saga is through. With several blockbusters already under her belt, Newton is a name that audiences recognize and who fits the bill for the more hardened, teenage Cassie perfectly - and is likely to stick around in the MCU for years to come. An elevated role for Cassie in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania meant that a more experienced face would have been preferred.

Although there's no doubt that Emma Fuhrmann would have delivered a solid performance as Cassie Lang, Kathryn Newton brought a level of grit and presence to the role that fit perfectly in the film's exploration of family dynamics. On top of this, Cassie Lang is by no means the first of the Marvel characters that have been recast in the MCU, so this decision out of the ordinary. Most notably, the roles of Bruce Banner and James "Rhodey" Rhodes were recast early on, with Edward Norton and Terrence Howard being replaced by Mark Ruffalo and Don Cheadle, respectively. More recently, the late William Hurt's General Thaddeus Ross has been recast for Harrison Ford following the legendary actor's 2022 ing.

Will Cassie Lang Be Recast In The MCU Again?

Cassie Lang's two MCU recasts naturally raise the question of whether audiences will once again see a new face in the role, or whether Kathryn Newton's casting will be more permanent. Certainly, the fact that Kathryn Newton's Cassie Lang is 18 s the idea that Newton will be acting as Ant-Man's daughter for the long run, as Cassie doesn't need to visually look different as she did growing up from a child. Similarly, the praise director Peyton Reed and larger audiences have placed on Kathryn Newton's performance as Cassie certainly suggest she will remain the MCU casting, though the precedent already set for the youngest Lang would make another replacement possible.

What Former Cassie Lang Actress Emma Fuhrmann Thinks Of The Recast

While Cassie Lang being recast for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania isn't new territory for the MCU, the announcement came as a shock to Emma Fuhrmann. The Avengers: Endgame actor revealed that she didn't find out about the replacement until the casting choice was made public, and while this may be a comment on how Marvel Studios treats their actors, Fuhrmann shared kind words on social media following the announcement. Thanking fans for their , Furhmann said she was "grateful to have been a part of the MCU & the biggest movie of all time," referencing her brief scenes in Avengers: Endgame.

Since appearing as Cassie Lang in Avengers: Endgame, Emma Fuhrmann has appeared in the TV movie Murder in the Vineyard and appeared as Rachel Morewall in the Grey's Anatomy spinoff Station 19. Being relinquished from her role in the MCU may provide Fuhrmann with more freedom to take on a larger variety of roles in the future, though she did also suggest that she'd love to have a different role in the MCU's future. With Kathryn Newton debuting as the MCU's new Cassie Lang in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, the future is looking bright for the young hero, despite being recast once again.