In a strange turn of events, it seems The New Mutants ended up being not that good. The film currently has a 22% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics and a 56% score from the audience. During it's initial run of marketing (before its numerous delays) there were a lot of film outlets praising the film for its horror outlets. There were even reports that the first test screening for the film scored as well as the first Deadpool film. Then, reports of friction between director Josh Boone started along with various rumors concerning reshoots. That round of bad press was then followed by two years of delays.
So what happened? Well, according to New Mutants co-creator Bob McLeod, some of the film's faults had to do with the fact that some of the onscreen actors looked nothing like their comic book counterparts. You can read his full take on the film below.
"I was very excited when I heard they were making a New Mutants movie. I thought making it into a horror movie was perhaps an interesting idea, but not at all how the characters should be introduced to the public at large. But, hey, my characters in a movie! I never would have thought that would actually happen. But then, I was disappointed when they didn't give Dani braids, although I like Blu Hunt. I was disappointed when Rahne wasn't a redhead with spiky hair, although I adore Maisie Williams. I was disappointed that Sam isn't tall and gawky, although I do like Charlie Heaton. But mainly I was very disappointed that Roberto isn't short and dark-skinned. Yet another example of Hollywood white-washing. There's just no excuse. So basically, #JoshBoone erased everything I contributed to the way the characters look. And now, the movie has come out at last, and apparently they've credited someone named Bob Macleod as co-creator. They couldn't even be bothered to check the spelling of my name sometime in the last three years. And that can't be fixed. That will be on the movie forever. I think I'm done with this movie."
Based on the reviews and the current pandemic situation in the U.S. and abroad, do you plan on seeing New Mutants in theaters? There's not a whole lot of options at the moment if you're a cinephile jonesing to sit in a theater again after most cinemas have been shuttered for nearly 6 months.
20th Century Fox in association with Marvel Entertainment presents “The New Mutants,” an original horror thriller set in an isolated hospital where a group of young mutants is being held for psychiatric monitoring. When strange occurrences begin to take place, both their new mutant abilities and their friendships will be tested as they battle to try and make it out alive.
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