The New Mutants was originally scheduled to be released in April of 2018. Now, finally two and a half years later, its release is imminent. The questions is, what sets The New Mutants apart from the X-Men movies? Why is their story so different?
The New Mutants #1 (April ’09)
Director Josh Boone began pitching this story like many directors from his era, completely obsessed with Marvel comics and media. Whether it was Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, or The Hulk he was reading those comics voraciously and could not wait for the next issue. Fast forward to this point in time, and The New Mutants tells a story based upon the comic foundation of the same name, with a twist. This movie is about children who have been quarantined within a hospital who have been refused departure. They are not allowed to leave for fear that their sickness could spread. Sound familiar? People are definitely going to enjoy the quarantine parallels within this film.
The New Mutants was filmed on location, instead of in front of green screens, by Peter Deming so it feels authentic and claustrophobic.
By using main characters that are teenagers, instead of adult superheros, Josh Boone set out to make an X-Men movie that feels like a personal drama tinged with horror. This concoction is what makes The New Mutants different than any other X-Men you have ever seen.
The New Mutants opens in theaters Friday, August 28.