WIRE Buzz: New Mutants to HBO Max; Chris Pine hopes for Star Trek 4; Possessor uncut trailer

The New Mutants may have finally hit theaters, but at a time when major markets (New York, Los Angeles) still deem the moviegoing experience too dangerous and risky for coronavirus infection to reopen, big movies like Mulan have opted to go straight to streaming. New Mutants got locked into the theatrical deal thanks to an old contract, but that doesn’t mean it’ll stay in theaters long before heading to VOD. The weird thing is, once it does stream, it won’t be going to Disney-owned services like Disney+ or Hulu — it’ll go to HBO Max.

Why? The Wrap explains that it’s because of a longstanding deal between HBO and Fox — a deal that’ll expire in 2022 and wasn’t affected by the Disney-Fox merger. Disney-owned films that were produced by Fox, like New Mutants and Ad Astra, have their first-run TV rights set at HBO ... and thus HBO Max for streaming.

So those interested in the spooky X-Men film who don’t want to risk the dangers of a movie theater should be eyeing a streamer that has nothing to do with Disney, as counterintuitive as that may sound. When exactly the move to HBO will happen is still up in the air and likely depends on The New Mutants’ box-office success. The film's opening weekend met its modest expectations of $7M, but no word on whether it'll stick around for a traditional theatrical run or cut short for VOD or streaming.

Next, the fourth entry in the cinematic Star Trek revival series has had a rough go of it. Stalled by salary negotiations back in 2018, Star Trek 4 has made progress in hiccups and spurts over the last few years without any real hard-and-fast news. But one of its stars is still hopeful.

Talking on the Things Are Going Great for Me podcast, Chris Pine (aka Captain Kirk) explained that the studio’s behind-the-scenes dealings may clear the way for more Trek. "I’m like the last person to find anything out," Pine said. "I know that Paramount is coming out of having restructured a bit and kind of a major corporate restructuring. So hopefully when all that dust settles, something concrete will come out of it and we’ll get to work. I’d love to do it."

Pine is likely referring to last January’s layoffs and restructuring at the studio, which looked to continue Viacom’s overhaul of the company before the corporate owner merged back with CBS (into ViacomCBS) at the end of the 2019.

Corporate dealings aside, Noah Hawley, the writer behind things like Fargo and Legion, has still been working on his Star Trek script as of January 2020. No word on whether his vision for Star Trek 4—or any version of Star Trek 4 is moving forward. Trekkies can focus, in the meantime, on the massive and unfolding plans for the franchise’s TV universe.

Finally, writer/director Brandon Cronenberg’s second feature is sure to freak fans out with its new “uncut” trailer.

Possessor is a twisty sci-fi mind-control film from the son of body horror master David, which should only mean gory and great expectations from horror fans. The red-band teaser for the Andrea Riseborough-starring movie dropped earlier this summer, showing off an assassin who committed her kills by taking over other people’s bodies. Now fans can get a more in-depth taste.

Take a look:

Corporate killings, binding to targets, and a whole lotta red — looks like a creepy good time.

The Sundance favorite looks to be violent and upsetting, all about autonomy and the ability to feel safe in one’s own body. Plus, the idea of a techno-possession is just too cool to pass up. The film also stars Christopher Abbott, Rossif Sutherland, Tuppence Middleton, Sean Bean, and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Possessor will blow fans’ minds in both select theaters and drive-ins on Oct. 9.