Josh Boone’s X-Men spin-off NEW MUTANTS is finally coming together, as The Hollywood Reporter’s Heat Vision confirms that Anya Taylor-Joy and Maisie Williams have officially joined the cast as sorceress/teleporter Magik and wolf-transforming Wolfsbane, respectively.
Rumors of their potential casting was actually first reported by Drew McWeeny at HitFix in March of 2016.
While Boone had the actress in mind since last year, he was only able to sign them when production was greenlit earlier this year.
20th Century Fox and producers are reportedly making “serious efforts” to find “ethnically appropriate” actors for characters such as Native American Danielle Moonstar and South American Sunspot.
The techno-organic alien Warlock and Kentucky-born Cannonball are also awaiting casting. Nat Wolff was previously rumored for the Cannonball role, though THR’s Borys Kit tweeted that not to be the case.
On #NewMutants: other rumored casting – Nat Wolff as Canonball – not happening either.
— Borys Kit (@Borys_Kit) May 11, 2017
Even more, according to him, James McAvoy will not appear as Professor X in the film. If true, this could many things. Maybe the group has their own adventure outside of Xavier’s presence or influence? Could it possibly take place in the future time period? Many assume it to be set in the past, as it shares production dates with DARK PHOENIX and has crossover potential with both teams. But nothing regarding that has been confirmed and it’s anyone’s guess as this point.
On NEW MUTANTS: other rumored castings – James McAvoy as Prof X – not true. He is not in movie, per sources.
— Borys Kit (@Borys_Kit) May 11, 2017
‘New Mutants’ comes to theaters on April 13, 2018.
Source: Heat Vision, Borys Kit and HitFix
https://twitter.com/anyataylorjoy/status/862922833323855872
I want it to be set in 1998 to sometime before Deadpool 1 movie (which had NTW (who was a New Mutant/super-hero in training). I picked that date bc Deadpool 1st appearance was New Mutants issue #98. And New Mutants team started well after the core X-Men team was established which they will be almost there by Dark Phoenix movie (set in 1993) so 5 years after or later would be a good date to proceed DP before XFORCE is created which will be after Deadpool 2. New Mutants can be on a mission finding away to be away but they may surprise us with main X-Men members for all we know.