New Mutants Reshoots Could Be Adding Warlock

New Mutants is currently undergoing reshoots to add a new character - could that be Warlock? Josh Boone's X-Men horror was originally slated for release in April this year until Fox decided to move New Mutants back in January, just a few months ahead of release; instead of releasing in 2018, the film will now hit theaters in February next year. It's a dramatic change to the studio's scheduling, especially so late in the day, and reports suggest are the result of reshoots.

The nature of these reshoots is shrouded in mystery. It was initially suggested that the film wasn't "scary enough," (something Maisie Williams denied), with them later linked to the complexity of the film's CGI, with even the stripped back nature of New Mutants needing X-Men level visual effects. However, the most recent reports have suggested extensive additional photography will be conducted over the summer to add another character to New Mutants.

Details are scarce on which mutant will be included. Some have suggested Boone will add a central X-Men character as another "hook," perhaps even a version of Charles Xavier himself, although that seems unlikely given the disconnected nature of the franchise. Indeed, there's a stronger possibility straight out of the team's comic book roster: Warlock.

THIS PAGE: THE NEW MUTANTS RESHOOTS AND WARLOCK

Warlock Was Originally Meant To Be In New Mutants

When Boone first started teasing New Mutants in 2016, the team consisted of Magik, Sunspot, Cannonball, Mirage and Wolfsbane - the final set we know of - but also Warlock. Yes, he was right there from the start. This was said a couple more times, until casting rumors missed off the latter. Curiously, though, by April 2017 rumors began to swirl that Warlock was in the film after all. These were seemingly confirmed in June, when a casting call revealed Fox was looking for a motion-capture actor to join the movie. The part was described as "a featured principal role with no dialogue". Fans immediately deduced that this was Warlock, with presumably another actor playing the voice or him initially mute as in print.

Something seemed to shift back during production. Rumors came to a sudden end and Warlock wasn't mentioned in any of the film's marketing. By October, Boone was noting that Warlock would most likely appear in the sequel. It appeared something had changed, and - presuming he had been part of the initial plan - Warlock was now not part of the movie.

The script is evidently being reworked once again, however, and with a new character supposedly in play, could it be that Warlock has his way back into the mix? He's certainly the name with the most suggestion in New Mutants' development. But, more importantly, he'd be the perfect fit.

Who Is Warlock?

Created by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz back in 1984, Warlock is an alien techno-organic being who became a firm friend of the New Mutants. He fled to Earth in a sub-plot in New Mutants #18, as part of the "Demon Bear Saga." That plot appears to be the basis for the New Mutants film, so it would certainly be fitting for Boone to add Warlock into the mix.

Like all his race, Warlock survives by consuming the "lifeglow" of organic beings. He "feeds" by infecting others with a techno-organic virus (known as the Transmode Virus). This allows him to tap into their life-energy and draw it into himself. The rest of Warlock's race are typically harsh and abusive, not least his father Magus, ruler of the Technarch. Warlock, however, is an innocent who does not desire to harm others. He was rejected by his people because of his conscience and hunted across the stars to Earth.

Warlock is a firm fan-favorite, and a powerful - if potentially lethal - ally of the New Mutants. He's best known for his distinctive way of referring to himself as "self"; the New Mutants are typically described as "selffriends." The techno-organic being has proved himself to be a trustworthy ally time and again, even battling to protect the New Mutants from his own father. At the same time, Warlock's techno-organic form has left others fascinated by his power and nature; they've often sought to gain control of the Transmode Virus for themselves.

How Warlock Could Be New Mutants' Missing Piece

When Claremont and Sienkiewicz had Warlock encounter the New Mutants in #21, he initially struggled to communicate. The teenagers thus assumed he was actually a demon, leading to a story in which the New Mutants had to learn to look beyond the outward appearance. That false assumption - that Warlock is actually another monster - would dovetail perfectly with the movie's horror plot. Indeed, when Warlock's true nature was understood, he quickly became the innocent being protected by the rest of the team. Every horror film needs an innocent to be threatened, and Warlock would easily fill that role. In doing so, he'd subtly alter the team's dynamic, and round it out nicely.

As for what the movie's plot may be, that's a lot more mysterious than may be assumed. Boone has made no secret of the fact that he's inspired by the classic Claremont and Sienkiewicz run and will incorporate the "Demon Bear Saga", although that's not the full picture; in an interview with IGN, the director insisted the Demon Bear is not the "primary antagonist." All he would confirm was that "there's stuff you'll never see in the trailers that are big parts of the movie." Taking in the overarching narrative of the Claremont and Sienkiewicz run, it's possible that the film will introduce the Technarch; both Warlock and his father Magus were introduced in the "Demon Bear Saga", so connect, and their powersets - including the vampiric stealing of the "lifeglow" - would be ideally suited to a horror film. If that's true, then working Warlock in would be logical.

It's also worth noting that Warlock could serve another purpose. It's true that New Mutants is intended to be a superhero horror, but the X-Men movies have always been more science-fiction. The alien being would add another dimension to the movie, blending the sci-fi and the horror. His presence fits perfectly with the overarching tone and style of the X-Men franchise, especially given this year's X-Men: Dark Phoenix is expected to add Skrulls into the mix.

While it's yet to be confirmed that New Mutants is definitely adding a new character, if the reports are true then Warlock is the clear frontrunner; the rumors he would be involved in the film run all the way back to 2016, and he has the potential to make it even weirder. We'll find out in 2019.

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