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- Many recognizable faces and voices returned to the MCU in the most recent Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in new roles, prompting viewers to look back in memory to see how many other MCU characters had been recast.
The trailer for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania dropped recently, giving fans their first look at Scott Lang's (Paul Rudd) newest adventure. Among the action and drama of the trailer, some fans were shocked to see that the role of Cassie Lang had been recast.
Though Emma Fuhrmann played that role in Avengers: Endgame, it is Kathryn Newton who will be venturing into the Quantum Realm in the upcoming movie. This is not the first time a role has been recast in the MCU; it's becoming rather common.
Updated on June 1, 2023, by Jessie Nguyen:
Many recognizable faces and voices returned to the MCU in the most recent Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in new roles, prompting viewers to look back in memory to see how many other MCU characters had been recast.
8 Rhodey — Terrence Howard to Don Cheadle
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Rhodey is a close friend of Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and a member of the United States Air Force who later becomes War Machine after donning a suit of armor similar to Iron Man's. Terrence Howard appeared as Rhodey in the first ever MCU movie, Iron Man. The talented actor gave a memorable performance, and the film even included a moment that suggested he would suit up in the next movie. Unfortunately, Howard had some issues during filming, and Don Cheadle replaced him.
Cheadle's performance was lauded for its humor and ferocity. He gave the character a fresh vitality. Rhodey has played a significant role in the MCU, appearing in several films including the Iron Man trilogy, the Avengers movies, and Captain America: Civil War. He will soon appear in Armor Wars, which will now be a movie instead of a series.
7 Thunderbolt Ross — William Hurt to Harrison Ford
General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross had been portrayed by actor William Hurt since the 2008 The Incredible Hulk. However, he was absent from the MCU until he returned to Captain America: Civil War. Ross is a military general who is obsessed with capturing the Hulk, has a contentious relationship with Bruce Banner, and is also Banner's girlfriend's father. In the wake of Hurt's passing, it was unclear how Marvel would move forward with the character. The upcoming movie Thunderbolts made it imperative that the character will return as he will play a key role in the MCU moving forward.
Marvel recently announced that Harrison Ford would take over the role, first appearing in Captain America: New World Order before playing a more prominent role in Thunderbolts. It will be difficult for Ford to step into the iconic actor's shoes, but we're excited to see how he makes the character his own.
6 The Hulk — Edward Norton to Mark Ruffalo
The most noticeable and mainstream recasting in the MCU comes in the form of a big, green, rage machine, The Hulk. The Incredible Hulk, the second MCU movie, saw Edward Norton play the titular character, squaring off against The Abomination (Tim Roth). However, when the character returned in The Avengers, Mark Ruffalo was in the role.
There are a couple of different theories as to why Norton was recast. Some claim the actor didn't want a multi-picture contract, and others claim he was fired, but either way, we can all agree that when Ruffalo took over the role, he brought a different energy to the character, making him more humorous and relatable. Ruffalo's the Hulk has become a fan favorite in the MCU, and his story arc has been one of the most compelling in the franchise.
5 Howard Stark — Gerard Sanders to John Slattery
Some recastings make perfect sense, and that's the case for the recasting of Tony Stark's father, Howard. The role was initially played by Gerard Sanders, who appeared only in photographs, giving a wordless performance.
With the role expanded in Iron Man 2, Marvel turned to veteran actor John Slattery. When Slattery took over the role in subsequent films, he brought a more serious tone to the character, making him a more complex figure. Howard Stark has played a significant role in the MCU, appearing in several films including Captain America: The First Avenger, Iron Man 2, and Ant-Man. His legacy has been a driving force behind the actions of his son, Tony Stark, and his influence can be felt throughout the MCU.
4 Red Skull — Hugo Weaving to Ross Marquand
Red Skull is the villain in Captain America: The First Avenger who is obsessed with obtaining the Tesseract, a powerful artifact that can be used to conquer the world. The character was played by Hugo Weaving who brought a sense of gravitas to the character, making him a formidable opponent for Captain America.
However, he was replaced by Ross Marquand in subsequent films and made a long-awaited return in Avengers: Infinity War. Nonetheless, only eagle-eyed viewers noticed that it wasn't Hugo Weaving under the prosthetics, choosing not to reprise the role.
3 Thanos – Damion Poitier to Josh Brolin
Though it may be hard to believe, Josh Brolin is not the only person who's played the role of the Mad Titan in the MCU. Thanos' first appearance in the post-credits scene after The Avengers actually saw Damion Poitier sitting on Thanos' throne.
However, Brolin replaced him and played a role in every subsequent movie, beginning with a small part in Guardians of the Galaxy and most recently reprising the role in the animated Disney+ series, What If? Brolin then reprised the role three more times in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame.
2 Fandral — Josh Dallas to Zachary Levi
Zachary Levi was initially cast as Fandral in Thor but had to leave the role due to scheduling conflicts with his TV show, Chuck. As a result, the role was given to Josh Dallas, who delivered a fine performance in the movie. With his schedule cleared, however, Levi was invited back to take over the role in Thor: The Dark World and a small cameo appearance in Thor: Ragnarok.
Though both are great actors, neither was ever given enough screen time to make Fandral stand out among the many other supporting characters in the MCU.
1 Cassie Lang — Emma Fuhrmann to Kathryn Newton
Many fans were impressed by Emma Fuhrmann's performance in Avengers: Endgame, with many enjoying the touching moment she shared with her father when he returned after five years spent trapped in the Quantum Realm.
Fuhrmann's performance likely isn't the reason she was dropped, but instead, the fact that Kathryn Newton is a much more recognizable actor with a stronger body of work behind her. If the MCU is building toward a Young Avengers project, as many fans believe, they may want the more well-known Newton to be a part of the team.