Maisie Williams wants her mutant back — but it's her New Mutants co-star that Marvel is reportedly circling
Williams told ScreenRant she would do it again, but The New Mutants sits at 36% and the rumours are all about Anya Taylor-Joy.
Right, so Maisie Williams has been getting a bit nostalgic about her stint in Marvel's mutant world, but the reality is looking far less hopeful than she’d like. If you blinked, you might’ve missed it: before Disney took control, Fox gave us their closing chapter in the X-Men saga with The New Mutants in 2020. Williams, best known as Arya from Game of Thrones, was dropped into the role of Rahne Sinclair (or Wolfsbane, if you grew up with the comics) for this rather ill-fated spin-off.
When ScreenRant asked Williams about reprising Wolfsbane, she said: 'We gotta bring that back. Maybe it'll be 28 years after the first. But I think we should.'
Thing is, Williams probably shouldn't be holding her breath. Why? Well, The New Mutants didn't exactly win anyone over. The reviews were harsh, to put it politely — critics and Marvel diehards alike found plenty to pick apart. At last check, it was languishing at a 36% Tomatometer and a still-underwhelming 55% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The New Mutants ended up with a mere 36% critical score and 55% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.
One Door Might Be Open
It’s not all doom and gloom for everyone who suited up in that film. Anya Taylor-Joy, she of Queen’s Gambit fame, stole most of the attention (and let’s be honest, most of the acting honours) as Magik, aka Illyana Rasputin. She was the one with the massive Soulsword and, admittedly, the best action scenes in a film full of half-baked ideas. While Marvel haven’t said a word on the record, rumour has it Kevin Feige’s eyeing up Taylor-Joy for a possible MCU return as Magik. Now, I’d take insider claims with a big handful of salt — no official contracts, nothing confirmed — but that’s the word going round.
- Maisie Williams: Desperate for a round two as Wolfsbane, but held back by the film’s poor reception
- Anya Taylor-Joy: Reportedly in the mix for reprisals as Magik, though Marvel Studios is keeping schtum
- The New Mutants: Served as Fox’s last X-Men film, bombed with critics and didn’t set the box office alight either
As for Williams, her willingness aside, Disney and Marvel aren't rushing to revisit this particular corner of the mutant world. Meanwhile, Taylor-Joy’s stock remains high, and if any casting gets recycled from this era, it’ll probably be hers.