Maisie Williams thinks New Mutants getting pushed was a positive thing

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Between the massive Marvel entries BLACK PANTHER and AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR there was meant to be a smaller-scale comic book film by the name of THE NEW MUTANTS gracing the screen. Not too long ago it was announced Fox was pushing the movie back about 10 months, which of course put a rain cloud over any comic book fan looking forward to something different. But star Maisie Williams thinks the push is a good thing, and in a new interview she explains why.

Williams was speaking with Collider to talk about her new movie, EARLY MAN, when the topic of NEW MUTANTS came up. She said that given how the movie only wrapped last September that making the April release may have been difficult, and pushing it back gives them time to make it perfect.

Well, it was always a really quick turn around, and there was always battles of how they were going to manage it. We finished in September and they were going to release in April and there’s- it’s a mutant film, there’s a lot of effects. There’s a lot of work that goes into the movie. They really make the movie after we finish shooting, so there was always kind of a bit nervous, really. I know how long this sort of thing takes on Game of Thrones and I know the work that they want to put in is- it’s a huge job. Actually, I think it’s for the better. I think it’s good that we’ve got more time. We’re not so strapped and up against it. It give us time- it gives me time to get to know the project once its finalized. Films take a real different shape after you finish shooting, and after they have edited. Sometimes you watch a movie and with the score, etc, it’s a completely different film than the one you had in mind. I guess you only know that when you have just done the premiere or whatever. Your spending your whole life working on this film that actually you don’t know much about at all. It’s quite nice that there is the time, to you know, make it the best that one can and familiarize ourselves with it and when it comes to releasing, really push it hard.

One reason we’ve heard for the push was so that they could make the movie scarier and play up the horror elements. Williams says that though the extra time will help with that, she believes the movie was already plenty terrifying.

Well, it was always bizarre to me when we were shooting- when were shooting it was frightening and the scenes that we were doing were supposed to be like PG-13. I was always like are we going to get away with this? It was really scary. I feel like all of the suspense and horror has always been there, it’s just nice to have a little bit more leeway in the editing and make it as scary as it deserves to be.

When it comes to the horror, director Josh Boone said the movie will be “the hardest PG-13 ever made,” saying that “the horror is pretty dark.” Having an extra year to live up to that promise will sure be nice because, clearly, the fans want something bold from this project, and anything less than “soil-my-pants scary” will not cut it.

THE NEW MUTANTS will now arrive February 22, 2019.