X-Men: The New Mutants Is Going to Be a Trilogy, and All 3 Movies Will Be Terrifying

With its newest film, the X-Men franchise plans on going in a much darker direction. Like, much, much darker. The first trailer for The New Mutants recently dropped, and its overt horror genre vibes definitely gave some longtime fans of the series a shock. Like Logan, it looks like the new installment into the X-Men universe is making a big tonal shift, and if we're being honest, we're totally on board. The film doesn't premiere until next Spring, but apparently a New Mutants trilogy is already in the works. Here's everything we know about it so far!

The core cast consists of a not-so-nice doctor, Dr. Cecilia Reyes (Alice Braga), and the five young mutants imprisoned in the asylum she's working in. Split's Anya Taylor-Joy signed on as Illyana Rasputin (aka Magik, who has teleportation powers), Stranger Things star Charlie Heaton is Sam Guthrie (aka Cannonball, who can fire off powerful balls of energy), Game of Thrones alum Maisie Williams is playing Rahne Sinclair (aka Wolfsbane, who can transform into a wolf at will), The Originals actress Blu Hunt is Danielle Moonstar (aka Mirage, who creates realistic illusions), and 13 Reasons Why's Henry Zaga will pop up as Roberto da Costa (aka Sunspot, who absorbs solar energy and converts it to physical strength).

Specific plot details have yet to emerge, but the gist of the story follows the five mutants above as their unique abilities begin to emerge within the asylum-like secret facility they're being held in against their will. Judging from the trailer, it certainly seems like a masked figure in the asylum wants them dead, which will no doubt end in the five mutants fighting for escape and for their lives.

The movie's director, Josh Boone, also revealed a few tidbits during an interview with IGN. According to Boone, the story takes place in present day and was inspired by the Demon Bear run in the comics. What's even more interesting is that he describes the movie as having a "rubber reality," meaning "the place they're in becomes more spacious when it needs to." Maybe that's a nod to Mirage's ability to create startlingly realistic hallucinations?

"We brought it to FOX as a trilogy of films, really all based on that long run by Sienkiewicz, and kind of incorporates some stuff from later issues in the '80s," Boone explained to IGN, referencing comic book artist Bill Sienkiewicz. "These are all going to be horror movies, and they're all be their own distinct kind of horror movies. This is certainly the 'rubber-reality' supernatural horror movie. The next one will be a completely different kind of horror movie. Our take was just go examine the horror genre through comic book movies and make each one its own distinct sort of horror film. Drawing from the big events that we love in the comics."

In addition to confirming that two more films are on the way, Boone also touched on the new characters we'll get to see down the line. "Every video complains online about characters that aren't in it right now," he said. "I will say we're going to introduce new characters in the next movie as well. Characters like Karma and Warlock, and all that will be in future movies."

X-Men: The New Mutants hits theaters on April 13, 2018.