If the casting department at Fox set out to find an actress who would not only raise pulses, but also provide a physically formidable presence – they hit pay-dirt. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Fox has signed actress and former MMA champion, Gina Carano, to join the cast of Deadpool to play the role of Angel Dust.
It’s not yet known how exactly the character of Angel Dust figures into the storyline, since the actual plot has not been disclosed. However, in the Marvel Comics universe, Angel Dust is a young woman with the ability to increase her adrenaline level, giving her superhuman strength for a short duration. She’s affiliated with a group of mutants living beneath the streets of Chicago, who are referred to as the Morlocks.
Aside from Ryan Reynolds in the lead as Deadpool, Carano joins a cast that includes Ed Skrein and T.J.Miller. Both Skrein and Miller’s roles are still a mystery, but it seems likely that Miller’s character will provide comic relief and Skrein’s will possibly be as a villainous character.
Tim Miller will be directing his first live action film, when he steps behind the camera to helm Deadpool. Miller is one of the founders of Blur Studios, who were responsible for the Deadpool test footage that was leaked on the internet on July 28th of 2014.
Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick are attached to write the script, where they will hopefully give the “Merc with a Mouth” plenty of opportunities to “break the fourth wall”. The writing duo have previously collaborated on many projects including Zombieland and G.I. Joe: Retaliation, and are also currently working on the script for Zombieland 2.
More news about the production should start coming to light very soon, especially since production on the film begins next month in Vancouver. With a release date of February 12th of 2016 looming a mere 364 days away, this is a production that absolutely must come off without a hitch.