Henry Cavill’s Rumored Role in Marvel's Now-Paused NOVA Series and Story Details Revealed
Henry Cavill (Superman and The Witcher) was reportedly in consideration for a major role in Marvel Studios' Nova. However, the Disney+ series has now been shelved for the time being.
While the Nova project may be revisited in the future, its current iteration is on hold. The show was rumored to introduce Fantastic Four villain Annihilus in an adaptation of the classic Annihilation storyline.
According to insider @MyTimeToShineH, Cavill was being eyed to play Annihilus, and seeing Cavill step into the MCU as a villain would have been pretty cool. But, I suspect this would have been a motion-capture role. Cavill previouslu played a villain in the Mission: Impossible franchise.
On top of that, scooper Daniel Richtman shared some details about the show’s intended story, shared:
"The story thrust Rider into the role of rebuilding the Nova Corps, just as Annihilus and his Annihilation Wave were invading, threatening to take over the universe. Rider would lead a squad of fellow Novas, including Sam Alexander and a handful of original characters in their 20s."
"The team behind the show had their sights set on a major name like Austin Butler for Rider. Glenn Close and John C. Reilly were slated to return as their Guardians of the Galaxy characters."
In the comics, Annihilus originates from the Negative Zone, where his transformation began after life spores mutated a simple creature into a conqueror. With the power of the Cosmic Control Rod, he became an unstoppable force, hellbent on wiping out any perceived threats.
His most infamous act was leading the Annihilation Wave, a massive invasion force that decimated planets across the universe. In a desperate battle, cosmic heroes like Silver Surfer, Star-Lord, and Nova banded together to stop him. Ultimately, Richard Rider dealt the final blow, killing Annihilus by ripping his internal organs out.
One thing we know for sure is that it’s going to be a long time before we see a NOVA project from Marvel, if it even ever happens.