Marvel fans were in for a surprise when they sat down for the X-Men ’97 Season finale. While they expected a Spider-Man cameo in the film, they never expected to get an answer to the biggest cliffhanger of the ’90s. It was revealed that Peter Parker had finally found Mary Jane, a storyline from the 1994 animated series Spider-Man that never saw the light of day.
The big reveal also made fans question whether a Spider-Man ’97 (or is it ’98) revival is in the books for Marvel Studios Animation. Brad Winderbaum, the Head of Animation, has an answer that may not fully satisfy the Spider-Man fans.
Brad Winderbaum Keeps Fans’ Hope Up For Spider-Man ’97 Revival
The tenth and final episode of X-Men ’97 Season 1, titled Tolerance is Extinction – Part 3, featured cameos from several Avengers. In a blink-and-miss moment, the episode shows Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson during the descent of Asteroid M toward the Earth. This scene solved one of the biggest Marvel cliffhangers of the ’90s.
Fans were hugely disappointed when Spider-Man (1994) was canceled before Peter Parker could complete his quest to find MJ. Fans widely discussed possibilities as the series last showed Spider-Man hoping universes with Madame Web to find his then-wife.
X-Men ’97 showrunner Beau DeMayo confirmed through a tweet that Peter Parker had indeed found MJ. Since the episode aired, fans have been demanding the revival of the ’90s Spider-Man series. They have received a response from Head of Marvel Studios Animation Brad Winderbaum.
He told ScreenRant that Spider-Man ’97 still has chances of a revival. However, it won’t happen in the foreseeable future as the studio already has long-term plans with X-Men ’97. The team is already working on a third season after completing the production works of the second season. Winderbaum shared with ScreenRant:
I don’t want to close the door on anything. But I think that for now, for the foreseeable future, X-Men ’97 will own the 90s and how much we bring in guest stars or tell stories from other Marvel characters from that era is TBD, but it will be seen through that lens of the X-Men.
Spider-Man also appeared in a previous episode of X-Men ’97 in a brief scene where he was seen swinging through New York City in his suit. It is possible that fans may get to see more of him in further seasons of the Mutants show before a revival happens.
Spider-Man Voice Actor Expresses Interest In Spider-Man ’97
Christopher Daniel Barnes, who voiced Spidey in the animated series, took to social media and pleaded for a revival of his show. His comment came after the web-slinger’s first appearance in X-Men ’97. He shared that he would love to participate in the revival. But he shared that no one from Marvel had contacted him for the role.
He further added that he had no connection to the current X-Men show as well. However, he still hopes to get that call and hinted that he would go weirdly silent on the issue if it happens, due to the potential NDAs. His tweet read:
Hey everyone! I just wanted to say thanks for all of the positivity and support surrounding the idea of a “Spider-Man 98” revival! I’d obviously love to participate in such an awesome venture! Unfortunately I haven’t been contacted by anyone regarding this possibility and I also…
— Christopher Daniel Barnes (@cdb_stories) May 2, 2024
The return of Spidey from the animated Spider-Man series has evoked a lot of nostalgic memories for fans. The overwhelming response from these fans should be enough for Marvel to expedite the process of greenlighting a Spider-Man ’97 series.
Spider-Man and X-Men ’97 are now available for streaming on Disney+.
