New Mutants just might be curse. Initially scheduled for a release back in 2018, the movie seems to have hit a snag, what with its numerous delays. Its first delay was back in February 2018 with Fox wanting to scale up the horror elements (and also to accommodate the release of Deadpool 2). Why not just release it already on Disney Plus?
Josh Boone, fresh off the success of The Fault In Our Stars, expressed interest in tackling an X-Men property. So, with Fox’s approval, a screenplay written and a release date set for 2017.
This was around the time where Fox had started becoming more experimental with their films. They carved a niche for themselves within the R-Rated superhero genre. Deadpool was a massive success with the audiences loving the refreshing tone and its irreverent style. Logan pushed the boundaries even further and was an emotional swansong that X-Men deserved!
Admittedly, I really couldn’t wait to see what they had in store with The New Mutants and even after so many delays, I’m still excite to see what they have in store for us. Especially considering that Boone recently confirm that his original vision was not tinker with and reshoots never happen.
But as we now know, the COVID-19 shutdown has once again delayed the film! Disney (who now owns Fox), in their part, have been rather generous. They put Frozen 2 up for streaming on Disney Plus months earlier than planned. Artemis Fowl is confirmed to be skipping theatres along with a bunch of other flicks. So, why is Disney so adamant that the New Mutants be release theatrically?
Unless they want to use it as a springboard to bring Mutants into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I see little reason for them to want a theatrical release. As is, The Mandalorian won’t be able to sustain Disney Plus forever (at least until the MCU shows start airing).
