I’ve been highly anticipating Josh Boone’s supernatural thriller New Mutants for a couple of years now (The first trailer dropped back in 2017), and the film has yet to see the light of the day. Between the “horror friendly” reshoots that never happened and this year’s global pandemic, we can only speculate whats going on behind the scenes. The film’s theatrical release date was delayed a total of four times, and it’s upcoming August 28th premiere appears less likely now. That being said, now is the perfect time to fancast New Mutants for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

DISNEY ACQUISITION

In 2018, the Disney-Fox merger was finalized (Disney owned 21st Century Fox Studios, and all of it’s assets), meaning the X-Men and it’s associated properties would be part of the MCU.

Following the acquisition of Fox by Disney, New Mutants never saw the light of day. You see, New Mutants was originally filmed back in 2017 under Fox, with an April 2018 release date. Two and half years later, the film has yet to hit theaters. It’s most recent attempt was back in April. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was delayed once again. Although the film is finished and has retained its initial cut (Rumors about reshoots were on the horizon), it’s August 28th release data seems more than unlikely.

THE PITCH

My suggestion…release New Mutants on Disney+ as a standalone film, and begin planning a new film to introduce the characters into the MCU. Maybe just maybe Kevin Feige will recast the film with fresh faces, and more comic accurate depictions of the characters. Don’t get me wrong, Anya Taylor-Joy was my first choice Majik, but the original cast has aged and matured since principal photography began back in 2017.

THE SYNOPSIS

This film will pay homage to the original comic book, while incorporating modern themes:

Five teenagers, with extraordinary abilities, arrive to the time displaced city of Nova Roma for troubled mutant boot camp. After experiencing a series of nightmares and supernatural occurrences, they fight to accept their past sins and escape captivity.

FANCAST

So, in no particular order, here’s my roster for New Mutants:

BRIANNE TJU as KARMA (XI’AN COY MAHN)

When the New Mutants trailer dropped back in 2017, Karma was missing in action. Her absence was met with a lot of confusion from fans. In the comics, Karma is the original team leader. So, she needs to be there! Plus, she is one of the first lesbian characters introduced in Marvel comics.  That said, I’m sure Kevin Feige will have no problem including Karma this time around. Brianne Tju is my pick to play her.

JOEY KING as WOLFSBANE (RAHNE SINCLAIR)

With two major awards under her belt, Joey King has the acting chops to bring Wolfsbane to life. Don’t believe me, check out here imdb credits here. This young star is on the rise! Disney better snag her quick before she signs up for another major franchise.

AMBER MIDTHUNDER as MIRAGE (DANIELLE MOONSTAR)

The lack of indigenous actresses in Hollywood is quite disappointing to say the least. Luckily, the X-men franchise was previously introduced to Native American actress, Amber Midthunder. Sound familiar? Amber plays mutant Kerry Loudermilk on the FX original show, Legion. Luckily, Legion has no direct connection to the MCU. So, Amber can easily transition over to Disney as Mirage.

JHARREL JEROME as SUNSPOT (ROBERTO DA COSTA)

Breakout star Jharrel Jerome would be the perfect addition to New Mutants as Sunspot. Although he is not Brazilian like his comic book counterpart, Jharrel is afro-latino, which is true to the source material. Plus, the boy can act! Have you seen “When They See Us?” Jharrel delivered!

ASA BUTTERFIELD as CANNONBALL (SAMUEL GUTHRIE)

Asa Butterfield is one of my personal favorites. He plays Otis Milburn on Sex Education, and brings a lot of innocent, yet witty antics to the show. Plus, he was the front-runner to portray Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Homecoming. So, he’s already on Feige’s radar. Cannonball seems more fitting.

ELLE FANNING as MAGIK (ILLYANA RASPUTIN)

I’ve been familiar with Elle Fanning’s work since Super 8, and always thought she was destined to play a Marvel related character. Not only is she a household name, Elle Fanning is the missing piece to this fresh franchise. Her acting range could really bring Magik to life. Hook Elle up with a bang, metal arm, and sword and she’s ready for battle!

THE VILLAIN

The first New Mutants film deserves a ruthless villain to carry the film. I’m not anticipating a cosmic entity like Thanos, but someone who lerks in the shadows. Perhaps, their motives will span across different MCU films. Who is a better villain than the Hellfire Club’s Black Queen, Selene? Not only is she an immortal vampire, Selene is a pivotal member of the Hellfire Club, which has yet to be reintroduced since the acquisition.

THANDIE NEWTON as SELENE

In terms of casting, I would consider Thandie Newton as the role of Selene. She’s a strong enough actress to portray a elegant vampire with ulterior motives. Plus, I’m interested in seeing Thandie portray a villain. She usually plays the protagonist in most of her films.

So, there we have it. I’ve fancasted a New Mutants film without diving too much into a plot. Be sure to look out for Josh Boone’s New Mutants film in the near future.

Thanks for reading,

-Bryce Lennon