The X-Men universe is alive and well. Deadpool really helped give some new life to what Fox is able to do with the X-Men franchise and next year will see the release of a couple new spin-offs, which have both wrapped production. Both The New Mutants and Deadpool 2 have quietly wrapped filming and are heading into post-production, giving them plenty of time to get the movies ready before their release next year.
Deadline brings us the news that director Josh Boone (The Fault in Our Stars) has finished up filming The New Mutants and David Leitch (Atomic Blonde) has done the same for Deadpool 2. The news was buried in their recent report on Drew Goddard (Daredevil) being hired to write and direct the X-Force spin-off, which will feature both Deadpool and Cable.
Starting with New Mutants, this is a project that has been on Fox's radar for a long time and finally got going this year after quite a long time in development. The movie is going to be the first of three movies in the X-Men universe being released next year on April 13. It is also going to be quite a bit different than anything we've seen in a previous X-Men movie, as it has been described as a horror movie set in that universe. Not only that, but it is going to be an entirely different team of mutants. New Mutants will feature Russian teen Magik (Anya Taylor-Joy), Scots girl Wolfsbane (Maisie Williams), Danielle Moonstar (Blu Hunt), Brazilian ladies man Sunspot (Henry Zaga), a Kentuckian code-named Cannonball (Charlie Heaton), and Dr. Cecilia Reyes (Alice Braga).
Despite some excitement for The New Mutants, Deadpool 2 is clearly the marquee movie for Fox next year. The first Deadpool was a truly massive, unexpected hit and remains the highest-grossing movie in the X-Men franchise to date. To say the least, expectations are very high. So far, it seems like the production has been on the right track, but story details haven't really been revealed, so all we have to go on is some set photos and that Deadpool 2 teaser that was released with Logan earlier this year.
Deadpool 2 sees the return of Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson, but the movie is also going to introduce some new, key characters in the form of Domino (Zazie Beetz) and the fan-favorite mutant Cable (Josh Brolin). They also have a new director in the form of David Leitch, who took over for Tim Miller, who departed over creative differences. Deadpool 2 is set for release on June 1, 2018, which puts it right in the heart of the summer movie season.
Both of these movies will have plenty of time for editing and post-production and, if need be, some reshoots. It is also interesting that such high-profile movies were able to wrap production so quietly, but in a way, that is a good thing. All signs point to both ships sailing smoothly. Next up for Fox following New Mutants and Deadpool 2 is X-Men: Dark Phoenix, which is currently filming for release on November 3, 2018.