Kathryn Newton, who plays Cassie Lang in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, discusses her character’s backstory. Newton’s Cassie Lang is the third actress to play the role, following Abby Ryder Fortson and Emma Furhmann and the first to do so since Avengers: Endgame. Cassie, who had been relegated to the background in the first two Ant-Man films, now takes center stage alongside Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, and Michelle Pfeiffer in the third installment, Quantumania. Quantumania, the first official trailer for Ant-Man and the Wasp, was released on October 24.
After the events of Avengers: Endgame, Scott Lang (Rudd) becomes a prominent figure and podcast host in the future film. His family, including his daughter Cassie, Hope van Dyne (Lilly), Hank Pym (Douglas), and Janet van Dyne (Pfeiffer), are all stuck in the Quantum Realm after Cassie sends a signal there. Kang the Conqueror (Johnathan Majors), a version of He Who Remains from an alternate timeline who first appeared in Loki, offers them assistance on the condition that they agree to his terms. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantum Mania was revealed as the first Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Five movie at San Diego Comic-Con.
Newton talks about her experience playing Cassie Lang and previews some of her character’s development in an interview with Entertainment Tonight at the 2022 Women in Film Honors ceremony. As filming progressed on Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Newton found she had much in common with Cassie. Her words:
“I’m really not perfect, and I’m super impatient, and I wanna be a hero, but I have no idea what I’m doing, and I think Cassie Lang is like that. She’s just trying to figure out how to be a good person and, you know, making a lot of mistakes. She’s kind of a mess, and so am I… You’re definitely gonna see some of that. But a good heart.”
Newton’s focus on Cassie’s development suggests a more elaborated journey for the character, both in the forthcoming film and beyond in the MCU. Cassie Lang’s alter ego in the comics, Stature, is a powerful superhero who can shrink and increase in size without needing a costume, much like her father, Superman. Her increased visibility in Ant-Man 3 seems to lead up to this part. As the MCU makes room for a new group of “Avengers,” Cassie’s role will likely continue to expand along with it. This is because of the development of other youthful heroes, such as Hawkeye’s Kate Bishop.
That Newton was cast in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania also bodes well for the character’s future. Newton is a young, well-established actress whose resume includes films like Detective Pikachu and television shows like Big Little Lies and The Society. Cassie Lang’s recasting has been generally attributed to Newton’s extensive acting career and critically acclaimed performances. Newton’s star will rise much higher now that he’s a part of the MCU. Since she begins Cassie’s journey in the most recent Ant-Man film, many are hopeful that she will see it through to the end.
