This summer marks Olivia Munn's debut in the X-Men cinematic universe, as Psylocke – one of Apocalypse's four horsemen of the apocalypse. However, this is far from the first offer she's gotten on behalf of 20th Century Fox and their corner of the Marvel Comics spectrum. As it turns out, Munn was previously offered a role in Tim Miller's wildly successful Deadpool, more specifically she was offered the role of Vanessa – a role that she would turn down for a very specific reason.
As it turns out, a recent piece in American Way uncovered the story of how Olivia Munn was approached during the well publicized hunt to play Vanessa Carlysle. However, upon receiving the offer, Munn rejected the role of Wade Wilson's girlfriend because it was, in fact, another stereotypical "girlfriend" part. In fact, the decision to even play Psylocke came after she had vetted the character's presence in X-Men: Apocalypse. Part of the discussions that Munn engaged in with the team behind one of this summer's hotly awaited blockbusters can be summed up in the quote from Olivia herself below:
I thought Psylocke was always one of the most lethal characters, and I said, ‘Yes, as long as you’re not using her to be the eye candy. She has really powerful abilities.’ And they said, ‘Yes, that’s an important part.’
While the role of Vanessa, which eventually saw Morena Baccarin fill the vacancy, is not an action-packed presence in Deadpool, she's certainly not a character to be taken lightly. Throughout pieces of said film, we saw her hold her own with Wade Wilson, in a healthy relationship that didn't rely too heavily on her being merely a helpless damsel. That said, the role was turned down a couple notches, particularly with the absence of any mutant powers that Ms. Carlysle had in the comics, and her ass-kicking skills weren't really used to their full potential. Still, should Olivia Munn had reconsidered the role, it would have been a far cry from any other girlfriend role she's played, such as her small but pivotal role in Magic Mike.
Regardless of past choices, the opportunity to play an empowered, take charge mutant in X-Men: Apocalypse eventually darkened her door, marking a new chapter in Olivia Munn's career. The opportunity to play Psylocke represents the hard work, and shrewd decision making that's been seen throughout Munn's years of operation, and if anything, we're excited to see how much havoc she can bring to the table in what could be one of this year's highest grossing films.
X-Men: Apocalypse heralds the end of days on May 27th.
