THE NEW MUTANTS Director Says Sacha Baron Cohen Almost Played Warlock and There's a New Promo Spot
The release of The New Mutants is fast approaching, and to tide you over, we have new promo spot to share with you along with a bit of casting trivia you might find interesting.
It turns out that director Josh Boone initially wanted to cast Sacha Baron Cohen in the role of Warlock in the film. Nerdist reports that the filmmaker wanted Cohen to appear in the movie as essentially the "Andy Serkis of Warlock," with a mo-cap performance.
Cohen's version of Warlock ended up being scrapped due to budget constraints, so Boone was forced to choose between including Warlock or Demon Bear. Demon Bear obviously won in the end.
When previously talking about wanting to include Warlock in the film, Boone explained that Warlock would have eventually been introduced in the sequel. But, that sequel will probably never happen. There was a whole trilogy planned!
"Karma was always going to be the villain in the second movie that would be absorbed into the group by the end. We had always wanted to bring Karma and Warlock into the second one when we couldn’t do it in the first one."
Cohen as Warlock definitely would have been good casting, even if it was going to be motion capture performance work. We also have a new promo spot for you to check out that you can watch below. It puts a focus on the horror aspect of the film.
Here’s the synopsis for The New Mutants:
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.
The New Mutants is still set to hit theaters on August 28th.