Today 20th Century Fox released its latest trailer for Marvel Comics The New Mutants. The film takes a much different outlook on the X-Men universe mutants and is billed as a ‘horror film in the superhero genre’. Filmed in a defunct mental asylum and full of dark scenes and scares, The New Mutants seems set to live up to expectations.
The film stars Anya Taylor-Joy (Illyana Rasputin/Magik), Maisie Williams (Rahne Sinclare/Wolfsbane), Charlie Heaton (Sam Guthrie/Cannonball), Henry Zaga (Roberto da Costa/Sunspot), Blu Hunt (Danielle Moonstar/Mirage) and Alice Braga (Cecilia Reyes). Unlike the X-Men films, and indeed superhero films in general, The New Mutants does not feature a super villain. Instead the main antagonist is the Demon Bear, who draws it’s power from negative human emotion. Additionally, Antonio Banderas will appear in the post-credits scene as an undisclosed villain. The New Mutants focuses on a group of young mutants imprisioned in a secret facility to ‘keep them from harming themselves or others’ and their attempts to escape their past sins and save themselves.
Written by Josh Boone and Knate Lee, and directed by Boone, the film is an homage to The New Mutants comics that the two read growing up. Boone, best known for directing 2014’s The Fault in Our Stars, called the stories ‘really dark, interesting and different from the typical X-Men stories that we had read.’ Fox finalized a deal in May of 2015 for Boone to direct The New Mutants, from the script written by himself and Lee, and to be produced by Simon Kinberg (one of the producers of the X-Men film series) and Lauren Shuler Donner (producer of X-Men: Days of Future Past, though she receives credit in each X-Men film, and Deadpool). Karen Rosenfelt also receives credits as a producer of the film. The New Mutants will be a standalone spinoff film, expanding the universe of the X-Men franchise.
Originally set to be released in theaters on April 13, 2018, the film has been pushed back twice, once to avoid conflicting with Deadpool II and then to avoid Dark Phoenix. Re-shooting scenes proved difficult due to it’s cast members other filming obligations (Maisie Williams with Game of Thrones and Charlie Heaton with Stranger Things). Disney’s aquistion of Fox caused further drama, with the media giant considering releasing the film on Disney + or Hulu.
Thankfully all of the kinks seem to have been worked out and fans can look forward to what appears to be an excellent film! The New Mutants is set to hit theaters on April 3, 2020.
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