Deadpool & Wolverine’s Cassandra Nova almost went on a different creative direction.
Deadpool & Wolverine finally introduced one of the most powerful villains in Marvel Comics, and Cassandra Nova’s debut in the R-rated movie is just the perfect timing. Fans have seen this Omega-level mutant unleash her powers, but the most notable element about this antagonist is her unreadable composure.
Emma Corrin in Deadpool & Wolverine / Walt Disney Studios
Emma Corrin admitted that there had been major changes made to the character while shooting the movie because the first attempt was unsatisfactory. It did not represent Cassandra Nova at all, so the whole production team went back and started from the beginning.
Deadpool & Wolverine Had To Redo The Entire Cassandra Nova Storyline
While speaking with Josh Horowitz in the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Emma Corrin revealed how Deadpool & Wolverine achieved the villain needed for the movie since it is the first time fans met Cassandra Nova.
We had quite a fixed idea, I guess, of Cassandra going into shooting and actually, as the process unfolded, she changed into something completely different. We thought it was going to be quite larger-than-life exaggerated.
Emma Corrin in Deadpool & Wolverine / Walt Disney Studios
The English star recalled how interesting it was to portray a character with telepathy who can do so much with so little. During the filming, Corrin shared how the creative team thought it would be better to portray the figure in the most extravagant way.
I went in there doing quite uncanny physical stuff and a bit over-the-top creepy because that’s what we thought we wanted and that’s what we thought would work and actually, it really didn’t, and it was a real lesson in tone.
Director Shawn Levy and Corrin realized that the original plan would only make the villain too obvious and readable. “We were both sort of there, like, no, this is not going to work if we do it like that,” the latter said before adding, “She has to be completely unreadable, completely nonchalant, and just really switch up the energy.”
The Crown actress revealed they had to go back and reshoot the whole Cassandra Nova storyline as well as other scenes. Levy and Ryan Reynolds were continuously writing and improving the script as the production rolls. “Nothing really prepared us for that. That’s not something we were prepared to encounter,” admitted Corrin.
Emma Corrin Claims Cassandra Nova Is The Hero Of Her Own Story
Emma Corrin in Deadpool & Wolverine / Walt Disney Studios
In an interview with WhoWhatWear, Corrin talked more about the approach to bringing Cassandra Nova to life on the big screen. The star revealed that while it was a collaborative effort, Levy and Reynolds had “a real idea of what they wanted her to be tonally for this film.”
The 28-year-old Golden Globe winner said that Cassandra Nova should be “a very unpredictable villain who the audience wouldn’t really ever be able to quite work out or put their finger on.” This allowed a lot of room to play with in terms of character portrayal.
In the end, Corrin believes “she’s totally the hero of her own storyline, she’s totally convinced by what she’s doing,” which is the greatest truth to any villainous figure.
Deadpool & Wolverine is now showing in theaters worldwide.
