Deadpool & Wolverine: Emma Corrin’s X-Men Villain Reportedly Confirmed

Deadpool & Wolverine has seemingly revealed one of its surprising guest stars. The movie reunites Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman as the titular Deadpool and Wolverine, respectively, marking the first X-Men movie developed by Marvel Studios. There have been numerous rumors that the film will feature some surprising guest stars, with reports of Taylor Swift playing Dazzler making the rounds. While nothing has been confirmed just yet regarding additional cameo appearances, a new U.S. copyright filing potentially confirms that star Emma Corrin is playing Charles Xavier’s twin sister Cassandra Nova. 

The U.S. Copyright Office‘s official filing has a February 13th preregistration date for Deadpool & Wolverine. Inside it has a description of the film and lists its cast, including the co-stars Ryan Reynolds / Deadpool and Hugh Jackman / Wolverine. Along with the returning Morena Baccarin as Deadpool’s girlfriend Vanessa, the filing lists Emma Corrin as Cassandra Nova. Corrin’s role as the villainous Cassandra Nova was hinted at in the first trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine when eagle-eyed fans caught a glimpse of the back of a bald person’s head that didn’t appear to be Charles Xavier.

Who is Cassandra Nova?

Created by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely, Cassandra Nova debuted in 2001’s New X-Men #114. Cassandra Nova possesses similar telekinetic and telepathic powers to her twin brother, Charles Xavier, and uses them in her crusade against what terms “the mutant menace.” One of her worst acts involves sending an army of evolved mutant-hunting machines, the Sentinels, to the mutant island nation of Genosha that results in the death of 16 million Homo Superior.

It’s later revealed that Professor X tried to kill his twin sister while they were both in the womb after detecting just how evil she really was. However, Professor X has no recollection of even having a sister. Jean Grey explains that the Xavier twin was born without a body — using Charles’ cells to survive and mimicking human traits. Cassandra is what’s called a “Mummudrai”: a formless being of living emotional energy.

An official, synopsis for Deadpool & Wolverine has not been released by Marvel Studios, but what’s clear is that it will not only bring Deadpool into the Marvel Cinematic Universe but usher in a major new era of the X-Men under the banner of Marvel Studios. Shawn Levy directs Deadpool & Wolverine which stars Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, and Matthew Macfadyen.

“Not only have Kevin Feige and Marvel and Disney supported this extremely Deadpool-ian, audacious, R-rated tone, they’ve also supported our super meta, self-referential self-awareness,” Levy told Wired about the first R-rated MCU movie. “Some of the jokes are dirty, some of them are cultural observations, but that’s what we love about Deadpool, that he knows he’s in a movie, even though the stakes are real. Our movie is very loyal to that DNA too, with tremendous Marvel and Disney support, in making fun of and being self-aware about everything, including themselves.”   

Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine opens only in theaters July 26.