The upcoming Deadpool movie added some serious punch earlier this week with the casting of former mixed martial arts star Gina Carano in an unspecified role. Now, the project has received yet another dose of geek cred with the addition of Firefly alum Morena Baccarin as the film’s female lead and love interest for Marvel’s mouthy mercenary.
The casting was announced yesterday by the Hollywood Reporter, with Baccarin reportedly winning the role over five other actresses vying to star opposite Ryan Reynolds in the long-awaited film. The outlet reports that Baccarin’s character will struggle with falling for the hideously scarred, endlessly chatty mutant with an overactive healing factor.
Baccarin, who played Inara Serra on Joss Whedon’s beloved (but criminally short-lived) series Firefly and in the subsequent movie Serenity, will join Reynolds and previously announced supporting cast members Carano, T.J. Miller, and Ed Skrein in the cast of the 2016 film. The steel-skinned mutant Colossus is also rumored to have a role in the film, but X-Men franchise actor Daniel Cudmore has confirmed that he won’t reprise the role for Deadpool.
Set to be directed by Tim Miller, Deadpool is based on a script by Zombieland screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. The film is scheduled to hit theaters February 12, 2016.
