Summary
- Marvel Studios could redeem the New Mutants alongside the X-Men in the MCU's future.
- Fox's The New Mutants was a disappointing end to the X-Men franchise, though it did include some moments of potential that could be capitalized on by Marvel Studios.
- The New Mutants' horror style fits perfectly into the MCU's recent supernatural and horror-focused storylines, involving the likes of Moon Knight, Werewolf by Night and Blade.
Alongside the X-Men, the titular mutant team of 2020's The New Mutants also deserves redemption in the MCU's mutant storylines, but other mutant teams could also seek justice after being mishandled by Fox.
Marvel Studios has already set to work on the X-Men's first line-up in the MCU. However, the X-Men aren't the only team from Fox's franchise that should be reimagined for the MCU, as the New Mutants also need some serious redemption.
The New Mutants Team Was Wasted In Fox’s X-Men Franchise
The New Mutants Was The Final Movie To Release As Part Of Fox's X-Men Franchise
Production on 20th Century Fox's The New Mutants started in 2015, with director Josh Boone and his childhood best friend Knate Lee leading the charge. All seemed to be going well, with principal photography starting in July 2017, but a series of delays and then a period in production limbo during Disney's acquisition of Fox made The New Mutants' future uncertain. Boone returned after the acquisition was completed to finish The New Mutants ahead of its 2020 release date, but with no reshoots and incomplete visual effects, which contributed to a lackluster debut for the young mutant team.
The New Mutants were a popular addition to Marvel Comics following their debut in 1982, being praised for focusing on the dark and traumatic impact of some mutations. The live-action adaptation didn't receive this praise, however. The New Mutants' rushed completion, unfinished concepts, generic narrative and poor visual effects didn't do the debut of its interesting and complex characters any favors. Even the New Mutants' Marvel Comics co-creator Bob McLeod expressed his disappointment at the treatment of these characters in live-action (via Facebook).
The New Mutants Team Member |
Actor |
|---|---|
Illyana Rasputin's Magik |
Anya Taylor-Joy |
Rahne Sinclair's Wolfsbane |
Maisie Williams |
Samuel "Sam" Guthrie's Cannonball |
Charlie Heaton |
Danielle "Dani" Moonstar's Mirage |
Blu Hunt |
Roberto da Costa's Sunspot |
Henry Zaga |
MCU’s New Mutants Could Introduce Little-Known Mutants Alongside The X-Men
Marvel Comics' New Mutants Team Comprised Smaller-Scale Mutants Compared To The X-Men
Although there were some issues and controversies concerning the casting of the five core of The New Mutants' titular team, the introduction of these lesser-known mutant characters into live-action was still a huge development for the X-Men franchise. This is something that Marvel Studios should repeat in the MCU, as a whole world of mutants should be introduced to the franchise, not only the X-Men. Perhaps the New Mutants' original line-up in Marvel Comics, comprising Mirage, Cannonball, Sunspot, Wolfsbane and Xuân Cao Mạnh's Karma could be introduced to the MCU, too.
Other of Marvel Comics' New Mutants team have never been adapted into live-action before, so Marvel Studios has the opportunity to develop some characters that audiences may never have heard of. This includes the likes of Cypher, Magma, Warlock, Boom-Boom, Skids and Feral, among others. While the MCU debuts of iconic X-Men heroes such as Professor X, Cyclops, Jean Grey and Storm are highly-anticipated, Marvel Studios would benefit from bringing fresh faces, new perspectives and diverse voices into the MCU, and reinventing the New Mutants would be perfect for this.
10 Lessons The MCU Needs To Learn From Fox’s 10 Top Rated X-Men Movies & Shows
Despite containing many disappointing installments, Fox's X-Men franchise also featured several high-rated projects that the MCU can learn from.
The New Mutants Would Fit Into The MCU’s Growing Horror Repertoire
Marvel Studios Has Been Experimenting With Horror In Recent Projects
While some criticized The New Mutants' use of horror, as the original Marvel Comics storylines had dealt with more fantasy, coming-of-age and science fiction elements, this style actually worked well for the team in live-action. The core of stories focused on the New Mutants is the team's handling of personal traumas, mental health issues and growing pains as they realize and learn about their mutant abilities. It was clever to use a horror style to depict this, and this could be repeated in the MCU, given the fact that Marvel Studios has been experimenting with horror more recently.
Recent projects such as Moon Knight, Werewolf by Night and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness began to touch on horror as a genre in the MCU. movies and shows such as Blade and Agatha All Along will develop this even further, so debuting the New Mutants as a team within this corner of the MCU would be an inspired choice. While the X-Men may focus on more lighthearted stories, though still dealing with themes such as discrimination and racism, the New Mutants could handle darker and perhaps more supernatural stories.
Marvel Comics' The New Mutants ran for 100 issues between 1982's The New Mutants #1 and 1991's The New Mutants #100.
Marvel Studios Would Benefit From Re-Doing Some Aspects Of Fox’s The New Mutants
Not All Of Fox's The New Mutants Movie Was Bad
Evidently, most of The New Mutants would be better left forgotten, with the team being completely reinvented for their possible MCU debut. However, not all of Josh Boone's X-Men franchise installment was bad, as The New Mutants contained some moments of potential that deserve to be developed further and explored in more detail in the MCU's future. Most notably, Anya Taylor-Joy received huge praise for her performance as fan-favorite Illyana Rasputin's Magik, and there have been calls for her to reprise the role in the MCU proper.
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The introduction of the terrifying Smiley Men, the exploration of LGBTQ+ themes, the depiction of Roberto da Costa's abilities and the in depth analysis of these characters' traumatic histories were also effective in The New Mutants. Marvel Studios would benefit from continuing some of these elements in potential future stories focused on the New Mutants team, though there's no doubt the team and its themes would be handled better in the MCU. Reimagining The New Mutants would allow all corners of the MCU's mutant world to be explored, which can only be a good thing.
The New Mutants
- Release Date
- April 2, 2020
- Runtime
- 94 Minutes
- Director
- Josh Boone
Cast
Blu Hunt
Maisie Williams
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