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Credit: Marvel StudiosMarvel is adding yet another “Professor X” to the mix.
Related: Disney Finally Listens to Fans, Scraps Old MCU Approach
Not long ago, Marvel Studios made a significant announcement regarding the highly anticipated third installment of the Deadpool film series, appropriately titled Deadpool & Wolverine, AKA Deadpool 3. This latest Deadpool installment will be integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), following The Walt Disney Company’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox, now rebranded as 20th Century Studios.
Actor Ryan Reynolds, known for his portrayal of Deadpool/Wade Wilson, collaborated with his “frenemy” Hugh Jackman, who portrayed Wolverine/Logan in the Fox X-Men Universe, to reveal the news. This initial joint announcement led to last Sunday’s Super Bowl LVIII teaser trailer, confirming the much-awaited introduction of these superhero characters into the MCU and establishing Reynold’s Deadpool as “Marvel Jesus” of the joint Marvel universe.
Related: Report: Emma Corrin to Take on “Professor X” Role in Upcoming MCU Movie
Following previous reports of a new “Professor X” in the upcoming MCU movie Deadpool & Wolverine by director Shawn Levy, new reports are claiming that fans have already caught their first glimpse of the new actor in the same Super Bowl teaser.
Marvel Teases “Professor X” in Deadpool & Wolverine
According to Hollywood and Marvel insider Can We Get Some Toast, this shot from the Deadpool & Wolverine trailer shows Professor X’s “replacement” from the trailer. In fact, the shot of the iconic bald head and wheelchair in the Deadpool trailer is neither Patrick Stewart nor James McAvoy, and instead a bit of a tease for fans (and more or less a “fakeout”).
The real “Professor X” in this shot is evil twin Cassandra Nova from the Marvel Comics, reportedly played by actor Emma Corrin (The Crown, Lady Chatterley’s Lover, My Policeman):
First look at Emma Corrin’s Cassandra Nova in ‘DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE’.
First look at Emma Corrin’s Cassandra Nova in ‘DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE’. https://t.co/qot4Hgjgfi pic.twitter.com/PsKt9ROJTv
— CanWeGetSomeToast (@CanWeGetToast) February 12, 2024
The initial report on the casting shared more on Cassandra Nova’s role as “Charles Xavier’s evil twin”:
In the comics, Cassandra Nova is Charles Xavier’s evil twin who is his equal and exact opposite. He tried to telepathically kill her in the womb but she survives the attack and spends her life rebuilding a body to enact her revenge against him.
Earlier reports covered how Deadpool 3 would introduce numerous prominent X-Men characters into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), including Halle Berry reprising her role as Ororo Munroe/Storm; Famke Janssen returning as Dr. Jean Grey; James Marsden reprising his portrayal of Scott Summers/Cyclops; and the beloved Patrick Stewart returning as the iconic Professor Charles Xavier, or Professor X, alongside Ian McKellen revisiting his role as Erik Lehnsherr, AKA Magneto.
There is an additional possibility that the younger versions of Professor Xavier, Magneto, and Mystique from the Fox franchise, portrayed by James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Jennifer Lawrence, respectively, could be included. Moreover, rumors suggest that Channing Tatum and Jennifer Garner, who starred as Elektra in Ben Affleck’s Daredevil (2003), have also filmed for the new Deadpool installment.
These revelations represent only a fraction of the cameos and roles likely planned for Deadpool & Wolverine. Seeing as another popular speculated casting is Taylor Swift as either Dazzler or Lady Deadpool — the possibilities are truly endless as the X-Men and MCU cinematic worlds collide.
Are you excited for a new “Professor X” villain? Will you be watching Deadpool & Wolverine? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
More on Cassandra Nova in the Marvel Comics
Cassandra Nova is a powerful Mutant villain in Marvel Comics, introduced in the New X-Men series by Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely. She is Charles Xavier’s twin sister, who survived by transferring her consciousness into her mother’s body and harbors a deep hatred for Mutants — especially her brother. Cassandra Nova orchestrates a Mutant genocide on Genosha — the Mutant sanctuary island that might contain Adamantium in the MCU, and potentially connected to Eternals (2021) — and becomes a formidable adversary for the X-Men, exploiting their vulnerabilities and causing internal conflicts within the team. Her complex and malevolent nature makes her a significant antagonist in the X-Men universe.