On the heels of the new trailer and opening sequence that debuted during The New Mutants' Comic-Con@Home panel recently, an extended synopsis for Josh Boone's X-Men spinoff has been shared over on the movie's official website.
The lengthy breakdown goes into a lot more detail about the film's setup, touching on the character's backgrounds and power sets. Magik (Anya Taylor-Joy) is also mentioned as being Colossus' younger sister, confirming that the movie is indeed set in the winder X-Men universe.
Don't expect the actual movie to make too much of Illyana's familial connections, however, as Boone recently revealed that the studio wanted to distance itself from the previous X-Men films as much as possible.
“In this terrifying, action-fueled film based on the MARVEL comic series, five young people who demonstrate special powers are brought to a secret institution to undergo treatments they are told will cure them of the dangers of their powers. Included are Danielle Moonstar aka Mirage (Blu Hunt), who creates illusions from other people’s fears; Rahne Sinclair (Maisie Williams), who transforms into the werewolf Wolfsbane; Sam Guthrie (Charlie Heaton), who, as Cannonball, can fly at jet speeds protected by a force field; Roberto da Costa aka Sunspot (Henry Zaga), who absorbs and channels solar power; and Illyana Rasputin aka Magik (Anya Taylor-Joy).
The younger sister of Colossus, Magik becomes encased in armor at will and wields a soulsword that amplifies her multiple superhuman and psychic abilities. Invited by Dr. Cecilia Reyes (Alice Braga) to share their stories about when their powers first manifested, the five “patients” come to understand that they are in a class of people called mutants, who have historically been marginalized and feared. As they relive their origin stories, their memories seem to turn into terrifying realities.
Soon, they question what is real and what isn’t, and it becomes clear that the institution isn’t what it seems. Now the question is — why are they being held captive? And who is trying to destroy them? The tension and horror mount in this white-knuckle thrill ride directed by Josh Boone and co-written by Boone and Knate Lee.”
Despite continued speculation that The New Mutants will ultimately debut on Disney+, the movie does appear to be sticking with its August 28 theatrical release. Could we see a same-day launch on VOD like Bill and Ted Face the Music? It seems unlikely given Boone's recent comments regarding streaming rights, but we have to assume Disney is going to do anything in its power to get as many eyes as possible on the movie.