As the main X-Men series progresses and Deadpool continues his destructive antics in rated R territory, 20th Century Fox is also throwing New Mutants into its Marvel superhero franchise. So far only two of the blockbuster's heroes from the team have been officially cast: Split's Anya Taylor-Joy will play Magik and Game of Thrones' Maisie Williams will play Wolfsbane. Now it's being reported that Stranger Things actor Charlie Heaton is a contender to play Cannonball.
According to THR, Charlie Heaton is currently in negotiations to join New Mutants as Sam Guthrie, a.k.a. Cannonball. The Fault in Our Stars actor Nat Wolff was previously expected to play Cannonball, but it was reported earlier this month that he's no longer attached to the project. Should this deal be finalized, Heaton will be the third actor to officially join the New Mutants cast, though Rosario Dawson is also in talks to play Dr. Cecilia Reyes, the team's mentor figure who is a medical doctor and has the ability to project protective shields around herself. Besides playing Jonathan Byers in Stranger Things (a role he'll reprise for Season 2 of the Netflix series this October), Heaton's other credits include As You Are, Shut In and the TV series Casualty.
Cannonball debuted in the comics in 1982 (created by writer Chris Claremont and artist Bob McLeod) as one of the original New Mutants members. He is able to generate a thermo-chemical energy that he can then use to propel his body forward at incredible speeds, like a rocket. While he originally could only unleash this energy through feet and legs, he later learned how to harness it through other parts of his body, which he can then use to form a "blast shield" around himself and others close to him. Although he's primarily recognized as a New Mutant, Cannonball has also been a member of the main X-Men team, the X-Force and most recently the U.S.Avengers. Outside of the comics, Cannonball's only other media appearances include minor roles on the '90s X-Men animated series and X-Men: Evolution, as well as being an unlockable character in the video games X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse (the PSP version) and Marvel: Avengers Alliance.
Few New Mutants plot details have been released, but according to director Josh Boone, it will be a "full-fledged horror movie." Along with Cannonball, Magik and Wolfsbane, the team will include mutants Moonstar and Sunspot, as well as the alien Warlock. The main antagonist is expected to be the monstrous Demon Bear.
With production scheduled to begin in Boston this July, New Mutants will be released in theaters on April 13, 2018.
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