EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — 25-year-old Blu Hunt is one of the stars of the new "X-Men" installment, The New Mutants. The film marks the actress's big screen debut, playing one of the young mutants being held in a secret facility.
The film opened at the top of the global box office, and Hunt believes the film has something for everyone.
"It's like a mix of everything. It's romantic and it has horror and suspense. It's obviously a superhero movie, so it has action," said Hunt.
Unlike previous "X-Men" films, The New Mutants has much more in common with the horror genre.
The film faced numerous delays (including one caused by the current pandemic), as well as a studio change when Disney bought what is now Twentieth Century Studios. In fact, Hunt said plans for the film was initially planned as a series of its own.
"When we originally went to make this movie, we had definitely had a trilogy planned. Each movie was supposed to encompass a different genre of horror," she said.
Despite roles on TV shows like The Originals and Another Life, Hunt still felt some stress headlining a major motion picture.
"I did feel the pressure on my shouldars. I'd never had any kind of life pressure like that," she said. "[The character] becomes the leader of the group as the movie goes on. I didn't feel like the leader on set because I had to learn form eevryone else as such a newcomer."
Here are five things you need to know about Hunt and The New Mutants:
- The New Mutants made an impressive $7 million at the domestic weekend box-office where only 62 percent of all cinemas are open and auditorium capacity restrictions ranging from 25 percent to 50 percent.
- Who is going back to a theater near you? The superhero flick was drew an audience made up of 66 percent males and 34 percent females, with 61 percent being in the 18-34 age range, exactly who Disney expected to show up as cinemas reopened. The under-18 crowd made up 14 percent, while those over 25 accounted for 60 percent of ticket buyers.
- The movie is about five young mutants who are just discovering their abilities while being held in a secret facility against their will. The group must fight to escape their past sins in order to save themselves. It also stars Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy and Charlie Heaton.
- Hunt said her character, Danielle Moonstar, makes people’s nightmares or deepest fears come to life to cause physical harm.
- Raised in Sacramento, California, Hunt is Native American and a descendant of the Lakota tribe. The actress's experiences as a child really influenced her performance. She says she always felt different growing up. "I was an outcast, I grew up in small town, and I always felt weird. I think in this movie, the characters each represents a different way people deal with their trauma, deal with growing up, and deal with feeling different."
The New Mutants is now in theaters.