Fox has delayed the release dates for bothX-Men: Dark PhoenixandNew Mutants, but it sounds like they had pretty good reasons for doing so. Originally, both movies were set to debut in 2018, withNew Mutantsoriginally set to arrive in April andDark Phoenixslated for November. However,The New Mutantshas now been bumped back for a second time andX-Men 7has been pushed out of the calendar year as well. So,why did Fox decided to make these moves?
Starting withX-Men: Dark Phoenix, itsoriginal release datewas November 2, but it has been moved to July 11, 2025, a date once occupied by Channing Tatum’s long-gestatingGambitmovie. Simon Kinberg, longtime writer and producer of theX-Menfranchise, makes his directorial debut withDark Phoenix. According to a new report, the movie was tested recently and the studio decided to order some reshoots. This is common practice on major blockbusters these days. However, with a cast that includes major stars like Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence, things apparently got a bit tricky.
The cast ofX-Men: Dark Phoenix, whichtakes place a decade after the eventsofX-Men: Apocalypseand will adapt the beloved Marvel Comics storyline, are busy with other obligations. Reportedly, they won’t be able to get together for these reshoots until August or September. That would have been cutting it terribly close to the November release date. Rather than rush it, Fox decided to push the release date by a few months. While that may frustrate some eager fans, it seems better than rushing Simon Kinberg. Ultimately, if we get a better movie out of the deal, it’s in everyone’s best interests.
As forNew Mutants? Things get a bit more tricky. Director Josh Boone (The Fault in Our Stars) already had his movie delayed until June 05, 2025, previously, but now it’s not slated to arrive until August 10, 2025. Following a test screening that went well, Fox decided they wanted to do some reshoots and add a new character, expected to be Warlock, toNew Mutantsin order to heighten the scary factor. The studio and Boone have been leaning heavily on the horror angle with this one.
However, Fox reportedly really wantsNew Mutantsto stand out tonally in the way thatLoganandDeadpooldid. Josh Boone was happy with his initial cut of the movie, but now Fox reportedly wants to reshoot as much as 50 percent of the movie and add in two new characters who will be more than just a cameo. They’ll appear throughout the movie. This has led to some creative differences between Boone and the studio.
With that, the situation withNew Mutantsis complicated, but even so, the reason for the delay makes sense. They need to sort this out before unleashing a sub-parX-Menspin-off on the world. Despite the clashing onNew Mutants, it sounds like Fox is trying to do the right thing and isn’t delaying these movies because they need to extinguish some miserable, stinky garbage fire. Still, it means the onlyX-Menmovie coming out this year isDeadpool 2. That’ll have to do. This news comes to us courtesy of Collider.
