new mutants cannonball

Something new is coming to Fox’s long-running series of ‘X-Men’ adaptations. ‘The New Mutants’, that is, an adaptation of the first of many ‘X-Men’ spinoff comics. Bad jokes notwithstanding, ‘New Mutants’ is shaping up to be something genuinely different for a series that thus far has largely been defined by discrimination allegories, labyrinthine retcons, and Wolverine. The film, envisioned by director Josh Boone as the first in a trilogy, is bringing the horror genre to the cinematic X-mansion.

Based on the previews we’ve seen to date, ‘New Mutants‘ seems to function in large part as an adaptation of the classic Demon Bear storyline, which heralded the arrival of artist Bill Sienkiewicz to the book and began an often surreal and horror-infused run that fans still consider the comic’s definitive creative period. The story itself saw the New Mutants confront a monstrous, mystical entity with ties to team member Danielle Moonstar’s past.

But just because the antagonist is inextricably tied to one team member, that doesn’t mean the rest are being overlooked. Among the previews Fox has released for the film are a number of character-specific teases. The latest of these focuses on Sam Guthrie, better known as Cannonball. Sam is the eldest son of a Kentucky coal miner who went into the mines in order to provide for his family following his father’s death. As his codename implies, his powers effectively render him a human rocket, becoming  “nigh invulnerable wile blastin’.”

Like similar teasers that Fox has released for the film, this latest example falls somewhere between a clip and a so-called “motion poster.” In it, we see Sam sitting with a lump of coal in his hand. The accompanying tweet tells us that “Fear is the ultimate reminder.”

Be sure to check back with ScienceFiction.com for more on ‘The New Mutants’ as it becomes available.

Directed by Josh Boone, ‘The New Mutants’ stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Maisie Williams, Charlie Heaton, Henry Zaga, Blu Hunt, and Alice Braga. The film is set for release on February 22, 2019.