This June will see Dark Phoenix telling the next (and possibly final) chapter of the main X-Men film series, but it’s not the only mutant-centric project that’s set for release this year. The New Mutants is also on the calendar, but there’s barely been any word on its progress for months, leading to rampant speculations about whether or not 20th Century Fox will even release it in theaters. That remains to be confirmed, but apparently The New Mutants going up on the upcoming Disney+ streaming service is a distinct possibility.
Originally set to come out in April 2018, The New Mutants was pushed back to February 2019 at the beginning of last year to make time for reshoots, and it was pushed again to its current August date since these reshoots were reportedly more extensive than previously believed. However, the latest word from THR states that the reshoots still haven’t occurred yet, though apparently “things seem to be in the hands of†director Josh Boone. In any case, now the likelihood of The New Mutants actually hitting theaters is more questionable, though the outlet states that it’s “likely†the movie will still be released after Disney has assumed control of Fox and that it’s a “safe bet†that people would eventually be able to check it out on Disney+.
With all the money and work that’s been poured into The New Mutants, it’d be surprising if the movie were to be taken off the theatrical schedule and moved to a streaming service. Then again, this isn’t an uncommon move nowadays, as Netflix picked up Paramount’s The Cloverfield Paradox and Warner Bros’ Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle last year. Plus, while not officially confirmed yet, it’s been assumed that once the X-Men and Fantastic Four properties are under the Disney banner, they’ll be rebooted to fit within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If that happens, then the chances of The New Mutants getting a sequel are quite slim, so perhaps the parties in charge wouldn’t want to dedicate more resources towards showing it in theaters.
All this being said, it’s doubtful that The New Mutants would end up on Disney+ since it’s previously been said that the streaming service would focus on family-friendly content. The New Mutants definitely doesn’t qualify since it’s a horror movie that could definitely be rated R. Hulu would be a more logical home, especially since Disney’s stake in the service is set to increase once the Fox deal is finalized. But the fact that these reshoots supposedly still haven’t happened is cause for concern, so whether The New Mutants is screened in theaters or on a streaming service, there’s the possibility it could be delayed even further.
The New Mutants follows five young mutants who are held against their will inside a secret facility and must use their new abilities to fight for survival. The main cast includes Anya Taylor-Joy as llyana Rasputin/Magik, Maisie Williams as Rahne Sinclair/Wolfsbane, Charlie Heaton as Sam Guthrie/Cannonball, Henry Zaga as Roberto da Costa/Sunspot, Blu Hunt s Danielle Moonstar/Mirage and Alice Braga as Dr. Cecilia Reyes. Antonio Banderas has also reportedly been cast as a villain appearing in the post-credits scene, but we still haven’t learned yet who this character will be.
As things stand now, The New Mutants is still scheduled to come out in theaters on August 2, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for any updates, including whether or not it’s taken off the calendar. Don’t forget to look through our 2019 release schedule to learn what other movies are coming out this year.
