In a film as massive as Avengers: Endgame, not all plot lines could naturally line up. With the final film appearances of Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. in fan-favorite roles, there was a lot of territory to cover.
Already over three hours, Endgame had to pull off an emotional send-off for two characters that was a decade in the making. Some interesting decisions didn’t make the final cut, such as a deleted scene featuring Tony’s (Downey Jr.) daughter, Morgan. After surviving The Snap with Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow), the two have what most characters don’t in the film: a family. The Starks are lucky enough to come out the other side, with a daughter to boot.
The film covers Tony’s attempt to bring back the people they lost, as well as preserving his daughter’s life. In the end he is successful, as we see the five-year-old grieve at Tony’s funeral. However, there were plans for a little bit more than that. 13 Reasons Why and Knives Out star, Katherine Langford, had initially been cast as an older version of Morgan in a scene that was ultimately cut for time. Now, years after this slight, Marvel may be making good on the promise of the characters.
Is Katherine Langford returning to the MCU stage?
Joe Russo revealed that the scene in question would have occurred during Tony’s death (via CinemaBlend). After snapping his fingers, his mind would go into a plane of existence where he would see his daughter, a la how Thanos (Josh Brolin) sees Gamora (Ariana Greenblatt). This version of Morgan would be older, and played by Langford. Both the Russos confirmed in an episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast that the scene was cut because it didn’t hit home for audiences.
The scene was an attempt to allow Tony the peace he needed to let go, but it didn’t test well since viewers had no connection to this version of Morgan. The same emotional beat is accomplished instead with Pepper, who tells Tony it’s okay to rest. This move makes complete sense in the scope of the film, but it would be a blast from the past to return to the character. Marvel may have the same idea, according to a rumor circulating X.
While unconfirmed at this point, this would be an interesting turn of events, especially considering Downey Jr.’s recent casting as Victor von Doom in the MCU. It may also work out well for Langford, who hasn’t had the greatest success with Netflix fare. Though 13 Reasons Why ran for four seasons, it was the height of controversy when it first premiered.
Trigger warnings are much more prevalent now than they were when the first season premiered, as fans discovered after witnessing the brutally graphic suicide in a bathtub by Langford’s character. Her other Netflix venture, Cursed, was, well, cursed, and quickly canceled after one season. Returning to Marvel would be a boon for the actor, and an emotional connection to a character we all miss.