Fourth time’s the charm: ‘The New Mutants’ to close ‘X-Men’ saga in August

“The New Mutants” poster. Image: courtesy of 20th Century Studios/Marvel via AFP Relaxnews

First delayed from April 2018 to February 2019, then August 2019, and most recently withdrawn from an April 2020 date due to COVID-19 measures, superhero horror “The New Mutants” is now being lined up for an Aug. 28, 2020 theatrical release.

Though principal photography finished in 2017, and despite suggestions that Disney — having acquired “X-Men” movie franchise studio Fox in March 2019 — was not impressed with the initial cut, the expected reshoots never took place.

Director Josh Boone, propelled to mainstream recognition for his work on romantic comedy “The Fault in Our Stars”, explained earlier this year that he felt that reshoots would have been counterproductive: the movie’s young cast had become visibly older.

However, both Boone and lead actress Maisie Williams have spoken positively of the final cut, completed after Disney invited the director back to oversee editing and special effects work.

“The New Mutants” stars Williams (“Game of Thrones”) as a Scottish werewolf, Anya Taylor-Joy (“The Witch”, “Split”) as a Russian sorcerer, Charlie Heaton (“Stranger Things”) as an airborne American, Blu Hunt (“Another Life”) as a Native American illusionist, and Henry Zaga (“13 Reasons Why” season one) as a sun-powered Brazilian.

Alice Braga (“City of God”, “Queen of the South”) serves as the group’s mentor, though the five superpowered mutants are being held captive in a so-called training complex, struggling to come to terms with their abilities and a terrifying range of manifestations.

Zaga and Boone are working together again on a miniseries adaptation of Stephen King’s apocalyptic classic “The Stand”, in which core “X-Men” franchise actor James Marsden plays the lead character. IB

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