X-Men '97 Revives the Beloved Animated Series to Continue the Mutant Saga
'To me, my X-Men,' commands Cyclops in the first trailer for the animated series X-Men '97, which will continue the story first started by the beloved 90s X-Men: The Animated Series. The footage brings Marvel fans up to speed with where things left off all those years ago, before throwing us back into the fray.
This is the first real glimpse that fans have had of the new animation style, which will be used to bring the characters back to life on Disney+. As well as our first look at the series, the new footage also offers our first sounds, as we hear what the cast will sound like as the iconic X-Men.
The cast of X-Men ‘97 includes Ray Chase as Scott Summers / Cyclops, Jennifer Hale as Jean Grey, Lenore Zann as Anna-Marie Raven / Rogue, George Buza as Henry McCoy / Beast, Holly Chou as Jubilation Lee / Jubilee, Alison Sealy-Smith as Ororo Munroe / Storm, Cal Dodd as James 'Logan' Howlett / Wolverine, A. J. LoCascio as Remy LeBeau / Gambit, and Matthew Waterson as Magneto.
X-Men '97 is now scheduled to premiere on March 20, 2024, with a second season already in development. The Marvel Cinematic Universe has headed seamlessly into a new direction after The Infinity Saga, with new characters and stories being integrated within it. But, there are several other stories Marvel has gained rights to explore after Disney’s acquisition of Fox Studios, which also includes X-Men, effectively canceling its future at Fox.
Although Evan Peters’ appearance in WandaVision hinted at X-Men being merged into the MCU, it wasn’t quite the case. But with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Patrick Stewart began that process, reprising his role as Charles Xavier/Professor X in the film. There’s no straightforward telling on how the X-Men will enter the vast MCU, though it looks like Deadpool 3 will play a big part, but Marvel Studios has another project on the slate featuring the mutants - X-Men ‘97.
Announced in 2021, this animated series is based on the X-Men Comics and is the continuation of the X-Men: The Animated Series. Being one of the first X-Men projects to be produced under Marvel Studios, it has fans speculating whether it will be a part of the MCU somehow.
Series writer Beau DeMayo has something to tease about this theory. In a previous interview with The Direct, DeMayo said, 'The one thing I can say towards that is, I know sometimes we say, 'No comment.' They’re being obstinate. I'm gonna go with no comment here because part of the surprise will be finding that out when you experience the show.'
The writer neither denied nor accepted the fans' queries about the show being canon, leaving fans eagerly awaiting its premiere. Marvel Studios is known for its great marketing strategies that utilize fan theories, mysteries, and speculations. By keeping the fans in suspense, they generate more interest and anticipation, leading to increased viewership and subscriptions.
The animated series What If...? was initially announced as an anthology without any confirmation of its connection to the MCU. However, Marvel used it as a way to experiment with multiversal stories and character variants. Eventually, the final two episodes of the first season broke the anthology format and became canon to the MCU, with Captain Carter making her live-action debut in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Considering this precedent, it is conceivable that X-Men '97 could become canon in the MCU. Establishing the Mutants' connection to the Marvel Multiverse through the animated series would lay the foundation for potential adaptations of the stories and characters in live-action MCU films and original series. Additionally, the fact that DeMayo has recently worked on the MCU series Moon Knight suggests he is aware of the direction in which the MCU is headed.
At present, the chances of X-Men '97 being a part of the MCU remain fifty-fifty. However, with the emergence of the Marvel multiverse and the impending introduction of Hugh Jackman's Wolverine in Deadpool & Wolverine, it's highly possible that the series will be filled with clues, teases, and Easter eggs connecting it to the wider franchise. Marvel fans eagerly await the premiere of X-Men '97 to see how this beloved animated series will fit into the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe.
