Cameras began rolling last week for the upcoming X-Men spin-off; The New Mutants!
Set to release next year, The New Mutants is another film spun off of the larger X-Men universe, one with a long history of it’s own. Joining the likes of Logan and Deadpool, it will add to a cinematic universe similar to what Marvel has done over the years.
It will be really interesting to see how it fits in with the other films. Continuity-wise, the X-Men films are a little hard to piece together. With at least two different timelines, thanks to X-Men: Days of Future Past, it’s not 100 percent clear. There are a few attempts to align it from several sites; but it’s nothing more than speculation.
The film will center around some of the first students of Professor Charles Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. And the team’s lineup is pretty true to the original comic incarnation.
First Of Many
Beginning in the early 80’s, the creative team at Marvel were looking at expanding and branching out from their most popular title at the time; Uncanny X-Men. The New Mutants were born. Written by comic heavy-weight Chris Claremont and illustrated by Bill Sienkiewicz ensured it’s successful take off as the first X-Men spin-off. It’s because of the success of this series, that led to other spin-offs like Excalibur and X-Factor. Both great in their own right.
The original team consisted of Cannonball, Karma, Wolfsbane, Sunspot and Mirage. A very diverse team for the time. Also, a much darker tone. Classic stories would include the Demon Bear, a psychic terror who is also rumored to be the main antagonist in the upcoming film. Demon Bear would be the nemesis of the team’s leader Danielle Moonstar (Mirage).
Over the years, the line-up would change as mutants came and went. Most notably, Professor X would leave as headmaster of the school. That position would be given to on-again off-again X-Men nemesis; Magneto. Some major players in the X-Men history would also see their first appearance in the pages of this series towards the end. Cable, one of my personal favorites, would take over leadership duties of the New Mutants after his first appearance in New Mutants #87. Fan favorite Deadpool would also appear just before the end of the New Mutants run, in issue #98.
Cable would lead the New Mutants until the series ended at issue #100 in 1991. He would then go onto lead the team X-Force, which would feature many of the characters from New Mutants.
New Classes
Over a decade later, in 2003, the series would return. This time centering on a new group of students at the Institute. Danielle Moonstar would return to be the advisor for this new team, and many of her former teammates would appear from time to time.
The lineup was initially all new; Elixir, Icarus, Prodigy, Surge, Wallflower, Wind Dancer and Wither. The new roster would be assembled by Dani over the first 13 issues, before the relaunched title of New X-Men: Academy X. A good portion of this run would deal with the events of “M Day” and it’s aftermath. M Day was an event that stripped most of the worlds population of mutants of their abilities. Eventually turning into Young X-Men for 12 issues, the series would wrap up in 2009. Most of the characters would be integrated into the other X books.
Volume 3 of the New Mutants started in 2009, but not picking up where the previous one just ended. This series acted as a reunion, bringing back the original team and would run for 50 issues.
To The Movies
Josh Boone, who has directed Stuck in Love and The Fault in Our Stars, is in charge of delivering the tentatively titled X-Men: The New Mutants.
As filming has just begun, only the barest of details is known.
It was originally pitched as a trilogy, but no official word if that is the plan for now.
It’s also said to be stylistically a horror movie. Not your traditional super hero film. This will be a good fit for a movie that may feature Demon Bear as the central villain. His powers include haunting the dreams and nightmares of his victims, and also controlling their bodies.
As far as casting goes, the main protagonists have been mostly filled and revealed. Anya Taylor-Joy (Split) is Magick, sister to X-Man Colossus. Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones) will be Wolfsbane, the wolf shape shifter. Charlie Heaton (Stranger Things) is playing Cannonball, who’s ability is flight and invulnerability. Henry Zaga, a Brazillian actor plays the solar powered Sunspot. Last but not least is Blu Hunt (The Originals) is team lead Danielle Moonstar.
Outside of that, everything is rumor. But with principal photography underway, and a release date less than a year out, expect more soon!
Mike Harris hails from the suburbs of Chicago and has been a fan for most of his life. Working as an industrial radiographer and raising a family with his wife take up most of his time, but there’s always room for Star Wars books and podcasts! Just looking to give back to Star Wars and the fan community, it’s been a source of fun and learning for him for so long.