Kathryn Newton stepped into the MCU in 2023 as the teenage Cassie Lang, taking over the role from Emma Fuhrmann for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Scott Lang’s daughter moved from background kid to a size-changing hero standing with her dad against Kang the Conqueror. This film set her up as one of a potential building block for a future Young Avengers lineup. Since then, fans have watched Marvel Studios quietly keep her in the mix while refusing to officially place her on the franchise’s next big chessboard.
However, that changed when Newton went on X to announce her casting in Avengers: Doomsday, sharing a video of the long-awaited Doomsday chair she received while on set. Her reveal lands a day after Marvel Studios confirmed Cassie Lang’s return during its CinemaCon 2026 trailer presentation on Thursday, April 16, where a quick moment between Scott and Cassie gave fans their first look at the character back in the fold.
During the Disney panel, Marvel Studios played its new Avengers: Doomsday trailer twice for a packed room, and inside was a quick family moment with Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man kissing Cassie Lang on the forehead. This confirmed Newton’s return. Members of Marvel's First Family were also spotted in the trailer sharing a similar heartwarming moment.
In the video Newton shared, she enters her set trailer with a package she had just received marked "Fragile Handle With Care." She tells the camera she has no idea who sent it, then starts unwrapping whatever is in the box. Inside is a branded Avengers: Doomsday director’s chair, pint-sized to match Cassie’s shrinking powers.
Newton lights up, thanks Marvel, and jokes that she isn’t sure if the gift is from the studio or from Doctor Doom himself. She holds the chair up, admires how small it is, and says it’s tiny because "Cassie Lang gets tiny."
She then walks outside the trailer, hands the chair off to a crew member, and tells him to watch after it with a hilarious, concerned look. Who can blame her? It's precious cargo after all.
The chair is a nod to Marvel’s now-famous Doomsday cast reveal livestream from March 2025, when the studio rolled out actor after actor across a soundstage of branded chairs.
Newton wasn’t part of that original batch, and many fans wondered if she'd be involved in the crossover.
Late last year, a photo of Newton in a Doomsday crew hat teased her involvement, though it didn't confirm it.
You can watch Newton’s Avengers: Doomsday package unboxing below:
Is Cassie Lang Leading the Young Avengers Into Doomsday?
Newton’s Doomsday casting is interesting for one reason beyond a fun father-daughter moment. Cassie is one of the most obvious Young Avengers members Marvel Studios has, and her involvement could indicate that the group will be getting more spotlight. Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan recruited Hailee Steinfeld’s Kate Bishop at the end of The Marvels, but the team has existed since as little more than a promise.
Cassie already has the powers and the training wheels arc. If Marvel wants a seed planted in Avengers: Doomsday that pays off in the rumored Young Avengers project, it makes sense to involve her in the film.
The CinemaCon footage highlighting a touching moment between Cassie and Scott hints at a potential emotional farewell. With many heroes unlikely to survive the events of Doomsday, Scott may fall in battle, serving as the catalyst for Cassie’s Young Avengers arc.
Given that her comic book origin is rooted in the loss of her father, the MCU could be following a similar path. Of course, all of this is just a theory, and Marvel hasn’t confirmed any of it, but who knows which direction the studio will take with the character.
Geraldo Amartey is a writer at The Direct. He joined the team in 2025, bringing with him four years of experience covering entertainment news, pop culture, and fan-favorite franchises for sites like YEN, Briefly and Tuko.
