New Mutants Taps The Originals Alum Blu Hunt as Moonstar

06/02/2017 02:38 pm EDT

Fox's New Mutants movie has recruited Blu Hunt, a relative newcomer best known to audiences from episodes of The CW's The Originals, as Moonstar, THR reports.

New Mutants will follow Magik (Anya Taylor-Joy), Wolfsbane (Maisie Williams), Sunspot (Henry Zaga) Moonstar, and Cannonball (Charlie Heaton). Rosario Dawson will star as Dr. Cecillia Reyes, a mutant with a protective forcefield.

Per the report, Moonstar is "Native American and...has the power to create illusions drawn from the fears and desires of a person's mind. The character is not only perhaps the most important in the script – according to sources, the movie's plot leans heavily on the classic Demon Bear storyline that ran in the pages of the Marvel Comics title in the 1980s and the character is central in the script – but whose casting proved to be the most challenging as the studio and producers made ethnic authenticity a priority."

New Mutants is looking to begin production in July on a script written by Boone and Knate Gwaltney. Longtime X-Men franchise produce Simon Kingberg will produce with Karen Rosenfelt.

Created by Chris Claremont and Bob McLeod, Roberto da Costa/Sunspot first appeared in Marvel Graphic Novel #4: The New Mutants (September 1982). The Brazilian mutant, who is known as hot-head and a ladies man, possesses the ability to absorb and channel solar power. His powers first manifested at the age of fourteen when an oppossing player knocked him to the ground while playing in a championship soccer match.

New Mutants is looking to begin production in early-July. The film is being directed by Josh Boone, based on a script he co-wrote with Knate Gwaltney. Longtime X-Men franchise producer Simon Kingberg will produce with Karen Rosenfelt.

New Mutants is scheduled for release on April 13, 2018.

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