The New Mutants lets loose the dragon Lockheed in new teaser

Say hello to Illyana Rasputin's little friend.

After a great deal of teasing, partly due to all the delays that plagued the film, Disney has finally revealed the purple dragon Lockheed, a beloved comic book character, in a new teaser for The New Mutants.

In the X-Men comics, Lockheed is a member of an extraterrestrial race that just so happens to look like what we humans would describe as a purple dragon. The creature has notably been pals with Kitty Pryde (a.k.a. Shadow Cat) and, more importantly for our context, Illyana (a.k.a. the sorceress Magik), whom actress Anya Taylor-Joy plays in The New Mutants.

Based on all empirical evidence, it seems like Lockheed will have a different context within the movie's story, about five teen mutants held against their will at a secret facility while they are haunted by terrifying visions of their past. But the promo shows the lil' tyke coming out of hiding during Illyana's battle against one vicious Demon Bear, a villainous creature adapted directly from the Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz comics on which the blockbuster is based.

After fans spotted Lockheed in the last big trailer, director Josh Boone told EW, "I wouldn't say too much more, but I was pleased with how we had him in the world and had him as part of Illyana’s story."

The New Mutants also stars Maisie Williams, Charlie Heaton, Henry Zaga, Blu Hunt, and Alice Braga.

The film is currently set to hit theaters next week on Aug. 28.

Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly’s free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more.

Related content:

• The New Mutants scares up film's entire opening sequence
• The New Mutants director sets the record straight on reshoot rumblings
• The New Mutants confirmed to feature 'beautiful' same-sex love story