Fox has finally realized how vast the X-Men universe really is, and they have begun to explore brand new properties in an effort to compete with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We’ve already gotten Deadpool and Legion is right around the corner. Another facet of the X-Universe is the New Mutants. This group is made up of teenaged superheroes who are just getting used to the whole X-Men deal.
Fox has tapped Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber to write the script. The duo previously worked on the YA adaptations The Fault in Our Stars and The Spectacular Now. Needless to say, they have a unique perspective on teenagers and throwing superpowers into the mix should liven things up a bit. They will be reteaming with director Josh Boone who helmed The Fault in Our Stars.
The roster for New Mutants will include Mirage, Sunspot, Wolfsbane, Cannonball, and fan-favorite Magik. It’s hopeful that the stakes in New Mutants will be much more small-scale. The best parts of X-Men: Apocalypse involved the younger mutants acting like actual kids. An entire movie set around that premise could be a true joy. The X-Men films have been getting a little too big for their britches. That’s one of the many reasons people responded so positively to Deadpool. At its core, Deadpool‘s stakes were about Wade and Vanessa. Not every superhero story needs to be about saving the world.
New Mutants is a great opportunity for Fox. It proves that their universe can be as expansive and varied as anything Marvel puts out. If handled correctly, they could also take some of the focus away from the tired X-Men series. Regrettably, we won’t know what direction the writers and director are taking for some time.
Just make sure the costumes look like Negasonic Teenage Warhead‘s did. Deadpool, Colossus, and Negasonic Teenage Warhead are the best visual realizations of the X-Men we’ve gotten. More of that.