STACK #194 Dec 2020

FILM FEATURE

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they knew they needed to wait for a time when nobody could leave their houses, because we went and made this about kids trapped inside an institution.” Based on the 1982 Marvel

Anya Taylor-Joy as Illyana Rasputin

graphic novel from superhero team Chris Claremont and Bob McLeod, the story focuses on four young mutants – Rahne Sinclair (Williams), Illyana Rasputin (Anya Taylor-Joy), Sam Guthrie (Heaton) and Roberto da Costa (Henry Zaga) – who are being held in an isolated hospital for psychiatric monitoring. Dr. Cecilia Reyes (Alicia Braga) believes the teenagers are a danger both to themselves and to society as a whole, struggling to teach them how to rein in their mutant abilities. When newcomer Danielle “Dani” Moonstar (Blu Hunt) joins the other young patients, strange occurrences begin to take place and the patients are plagued by hallucinations and flashbacks. Forming an alliance, these young mutants must seek out the source of this spooky phenomenon… Given Boone’s success in the YA field, directing 2014’s romantic teen drama The Fault in Our Stars , The New Mutants is more teen- angst than horror or super-heroics. “It’s interesting because I think we all came into this knowing that whilst we were making a superhero movie, we weren’t really making a superhero movie,” says Taylor-Joy. “We were making a film about people who were having a tough time understanding themselves and figuring out their place in the world. And so, to make it a bit more cinematic, we added powers. “But I do think any teenager

Following a problematic three-year journey to the screen, teen-superhero adventure The New Mutants finally hits home entertainment formats on December 2. STACK caught up with director Josh Boone and the cast. Words Gill Pringle

There was an audience still willing to wait as long as it took

that’s going through the growing pains; trying to

P lunged into an electrifying world of fame and success from an early age, Maisie Williams ( Game of Thrones ) and Charlie Heaton ( Stranger Things ) both readily identified with how it might feel to be a super-powered teen struggling to gain control over new and mysterious abilities. However, they had zero control over the three-year journey it would take between shooting their film, The New Mutants , and its ultimate release. A Young Adult loose end from the X-Men franchise, the first teaser

it was going to get released,” says Williams. “There was an audience still willing to wait as long as it took, and even through this pandemic, they’ve been so supportive. I can’t wait for people to finally see it.” Boone views The New Mutants'

understand where you fit in, you’re no longer a child, but like, what is this weird adult world? I think they’ll definitely connect with it.” “But it’s still a horror film,” insists

Boone, “It’s just one that is more in the vein of a horror novel, so it’s more character-driven but with that added horror aspect as well.” While he hopes that adults will check out

delayed release as a blessing. “That’s why the universe made this movie wait. It was because

the film, Boone admits it’s best viewed by a younger crowd. “It was really made for teenagers who are outsiders; people who feel out of place and who are going through a tough time in general. “I always say, I make couch movies, which are like, when I was a teenager and I was really depressed, I’d have a certain movie I’d pop on and go lay on the couch. It made me feel better, so these kind of movies will hopefully be your friend.”

trailer was dropped back in October 2017 shortly after the film was shot on location in Boston, announcing April 2018 as its release date. Caught up in the midst of Disney’s acquisition of Fox, followed by a global pandemic, when STACK chats over Zoom with the cast and director Josh Boone, their jubilation at finally reaching the end run is palpable. “I think there was a lot of uncertainty with this film and when

• The New Mutants is out on Dec 2

MaisieWilliams, Henry Zaga, Blu Hunt, Charlie Heaton and AnyaTaylor-Joy

16 DECEMBER 2020

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