The New Mutants | Official Trailer | 20th Century FOX

🎬 The New Mutants (2020) – Full Plot Summary

Directed by: Josh Boone
Starring:

• Maisie Williams as Rahne Sinclair / Wolfsbane
• Anya Taylor-Joy as Illyana Rasputin / Magik
• Charlie Heaton as Sam Guthrie / Cannonball
• Blu Hunt as Danielle Moonstar / Mirage
• Henry Zaga as Roberto da Costa / Sunspot
• Alice Braga as Dr. Reyes

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🏥 Setting

The story is set in a remote and seemingly abandoned medical facility that treats teenage mutants who are just discovering their powers. It is overseen by Dr. Cecilia Reyes, who claims she is there to help the teens learn to control their dangerous abilities.

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👧 Danielle’s Arrival

The film begins with Danielle “Dani” Moonstar, a Native American teenager, fleeing her reservation during a mysterious and destructive event. Her father is killed, and Dani is knocked unconscious. She wakes up handcuffed to a bed in the facility.

Dr. Reyes tells her that her reservation was destroyed by a tornado and that she is the sole survivor. Dani soon meets four other young mutants:

• Rahne Sinclair, a devout Scottish girl who can transform into a wolf (Wolfsbane).
• Illyana Rasputin, a Russian mutant with teleportation powers and a magical sword (Magik).
• Sam Guthrie, a Kentuckian who can propel himself like a cannonball (Cannonball).
• Roberto da Costa, a wealthy Brazilian who can manipulate solar energy (Sunspot).

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💭 Strange Visions Begin

As Dani struggles to understand her powers, the other mutants begin to experience terrifying hallucinations and visions, many of which are tied to traumatic events from their pasts:

• Rahne sees ghostly images of her strict religious upbringing and past abuse.
• Sam relives the coal mine accident that killed his father and friends.
• Roberto is haunted by the memory of burning his girlfriend alive with his uncontrollable power.
• Illyana sees faceless “Smiling Men” and a demonic bear from her childhood.

They begin to suspect that Dani’s powers are causing the nightmares—though she doesn’t yet know what her ability is.

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🧪 Reyes’ True Agenda

Dr. Reyes continually monitors and drugs the teens. She claims to work for Professor Xavier, but it’s eventually revealed that she’s actually working for the Essex Corporation, a mysterious and morally gray organization (also teased in Logan).

Essex wants to train mutants to become weapons—if a subject becomes too powerful or unstable, they are eliminated. After learning Dani’s power is the ability to manifest people’s fears as illusions (Mirage), Reyes receives orders to kill her.

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🐻 Final Showdown – The Demon Bear

As Reyes prepares to euthanize Dani, the group unites to stop her. But Dani’s fear spirals out of control, fully unleashing a monstrous entity: the Demon Bear—a huge, psychic beast born from her subconscious.

Reyes is killed by the Demon Bear, and the group is nearly overwhelmed. Illyana, with her teleportation sword and pet dragon puppet Lockheed (revealed to be real), leads the defense. Eventually, Rahne in wolf form and Sam in cannonball mode also join the fight.

Ultimately, it’s Dani who calms the Demon Bear, not through force, but by confronting her fear and taking control of her powers.

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🛣 Ending

With Reyes and Essex defeated, the facility is destroyed. The five survivors—Dani, Rahne, Illyana, Roberto, and Sam—decide to leave together and face the outside world as a new family.

As they walk into the distance, Dani narrates:

“My father used to say, inside every person, there are two bears. One good, one evil… The one you feed wins.”

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💡 Themes

• Fear & Trauma: Each character must face their deepest fears and traumas—literally—thanks to Dani’s powers.
• Identity & Acceptance: The film explores self-acceptance, especially for characters like Rahne (struggling with her religious guilt and sexuality) and Dani (accepting her dangerous powers).
• Found Family: Despite being strangers, the teens bond and form a powerful, supportive family unit.

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🧬 X-Men Connections

• Set in the same universe as the X-Men films, but mostly isolated.
• The Essex Corporation connects it to Logan and X-Men: Apocalypse (both teased the sinister organization).
• Illyana Rasputin is the sister of Colossus from the main X-Men lore.

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📉 Reception

• Released in 2020 after many delays, The New Mutants received mixed-to-negative reviews for its pacing and uneven tone but was praised for its character moments and horror elements.
• Considered a standalone sendoff to the Fox-era X-Men universe, as Marvel Studios regained rights shortly afterward.