X-MEN '97 Confirmed to Be a Standalone Marvel Series and is Not a Part of the MCU
X-Men '97, the highly-anticipated follow-up to the iconic '90s animated series X-Men: The Animated Series, is setting itself apart from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, carving its own unique path in the Marvel universe.
Beau DeMayo, the head writer of X-Men '97, has been engaging with fans on Instagram, sharing some info on what to expect from the upcoming Disney+ series. It’s there that DeMayo confirmed that X-Men '97 will not be part of the MCU. "We are our own thing," he said, making it very clear that the series is not part of the interconnected stories of the MCU.
The trailer for X-Men '97 teases a series that is rich with nostalgia, but it will also offer some fresh new stories. DeMayo's conversation with Entertainment Weekly revealed that every design choice in the series serves as a breadcrumb, leading fans to the storylines that will unfold.
He said: "Every design choice is actually a clue to the storylines we're doing. Nothing is arbitrary." The writer would also acknowledge some of the individual references. "It's a nice nod to Pryde of the X-Men," he added of a reference to the 1989 pilot for a different X-Men series. "But it is to throw the X-Men back to a time where they're thinking about: What part of this do I want to keep? Was it truly simpler back then, or were we just more naive?"
Marvel Studios offered a new description for the animated series: "X-Men '97 revisits the iconic era of the 1990s as The X-Men, a band of mutants who use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them, are challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future.
The series brings back the original voice cast including Ray Chase as Cyclops, Jennifer Hale as Jean Grey, Alison Sealy-Smith as Storm, Cal Dodd as Wolverine, JP Karliak as Morph, Lenore Zann as Rogue, George Buza as Beast, AJ LoCascio as Gambit, Holly Chou as Jubilee, Isaac Robinson-Smith as Bishop, Matthew Waterson as Magneto and Adrian Hough as Nightcrawler.
Beau DeMayo is the head writer and executive producer of X-Men '97. Jake Castorena is the supervising director and Charley Feldman is the supervising producer. X-Men '97 will debut on Disney+ sometime in 2024.
The show begins streaming on Disney+ on March 20th.