The "X-Men" spinoff "New Mutants" is in active development at 20th Century Fox. The film has found its director and has begun casting its mutant characters.
"New Mutants" has signed up two familiar places to play mutants. "Game of Thrones" star Maisie Williams is playing Wolfsbane, "a girl struggling to reconcile her religious beliefs with her power to turn into a wolf," THR reports.
"Split" actress Anya Taylor-Joy is playing Magik, who's powers include sorcery and projecting teleportation discs to travel. The character is expected to take the position of leader of the New Mutants. Magik is also the sister of Colossus, a mutant character that has been portrayed several times in the "X-Men" movies, and most recently in "Deadpool."
The other characters that haven't been filled up yet include Sunspot, Daniel Moonstar, Cannonball and Warlock. James McAvoy is expected to reprise his role as Professor X in "New Mutants."
"The Fault In Our Stars" director Josh Boone has been tapped to helm the film. Boone and co-writer Knate Gwaltney penned the initial draft of the story. EW reports that "The Fault In Our Stars" writers Scott Neustadter and Michael H Weber will also contribute to the script.
Fox has been developing "New Mutants" since 2015, in an attempt to expand the "X-Men" movie universe. The spinoff focuses on a group of second generation mutants who study at Professor X's school. They team consists of teens who are too young to join X-Men, but are old enough to start harnessing and working with their superhuman abilities.
The film will not only showcase the young mutants' powers and abilities, but will also present issues that are typical faced by teenagers such as school, relationships and teen angst.
"New Mutants" has been set for an April 13, 2018 release date.
