Nearly two years since it was originally intended to arrive in cinemas, we finally have our second trailer for long-awaited X-Men spin-off The New Mutants – 27 months after the first one dropped. Josh Boone’s take on the Marvel comic became subject to delays around the same time as X-Men: Dark Phoenix, which finally arrived last summer, with reports of reshoots, several release date push-backs, and a lack of further promotion. Now, following the Disney-Fox merger, it seems to be back on track with a cinematic release this April – and Boone back involved with the cut. Here’s the latest trailer:
After the first teaser promised a horror-inspired superhero movie, this new trailer leans further into that genre – teasing a kids-trapped-in-a-spooky-old-institution movie, with added superpowers. As well as teasing the dangerous potential of their mutant abilities, we get a hint of plot here – that the gifted youngsters are being held captive and subjected to visions of their greatest fears. There’s plenty of screaming, flickering lights, and a stabbing string score – The New Mutants is a proper teen horror movie. Boone assembled an impressive cast for this one, led by Game Of Thrones’ Maisie Williams, Stranger Things’ Charlie Heaton, and contemporary scream queen Anya Taylor-Joy.
Considering the copious reports of reshoots and poor test screenings, The New Mutants trailer is a perfectly slick promo – and still feels distinct among other comic book movies for its horror bent. With recent indications from the director that his version of the movie is the one being released, and with theatrical distribution still in place as opposed to a cheaper streaming launch, The New Mutants might not end up quite the disaster many perhaps expected. Not bad for a film that long seemed destined to not see the light of day. Every day, as we say, is Christmas Eve. The New Mutants really does seem to be coming to UK cinemas from 8 April 2020.