X-Men ’97 is an upcoming Disney+ animated series, which is more than just a nostalgic trip down memory lane. It is a revival of the classic X-Men: The Animated Series (1992-1997). It picks up directly where the original left off, with the X-Men facing a world that’s both familiar and changed.
The creator is focused on continuing the original message of acceptance and using it to tackle themes that are relevant to today’s audience—especially those in the LGBTQ+ community.
Recently, showrunner Beau DeMayo hinted at a surprising development regarding mutants that is sure to spark strong reactions.
A Shocking Revelation by X-Men ’97 Showrunner
The creator of X-Men ’97 Beau DeMayo, who is both gay and mixed race, noticed a strong connection between the X-Men and the LGBTQ+ community.
He observed many LGBTQ+ people wearing X-Men shirts in West Hollywood. This connection, along with the characters’ struggles with discrimination, motivated him to include more explicit LGBTQ+ themes in the new series. He told Entertainment Weekly:
“I definitely started noticing just how many people wear X-Men T-shirts going out in West Hollywood where there’s a huge gay community. Obviously, the X-Men are very important to queer people. If you grew up in the ’90s, it is honestly how a lot of us related to these characters.”
To tackle this, the character Morph is getting a makeover. Instead of following typical gender expectations, Morph will be voiced by a non-binary actor, JP Karliak
Morph’s ability to shape-shift into any gender influenced the decision to portray them as first non-binary character. This adjustment aims to show how the character can go beyond traditional ideas of gender, making the connection to the LGBTQ+ community even stronger.
Even the co-creator of the X-Men, Stan Lee himself acknowledged the Civil Rights struggles as an influence. Lee’s focus wasn’t on a single minority but on fighting intolerance in general. In a video posted by Marvel in 2017:
“Marvel has always been and will be a reflection of the world outside your window. That world may change and evolve. But the one thing that will never change is the way we tell our stories of heroism. Those stories have room for everyone, regardless of their race, gender, religion, or color of their skin. The only things we don’t have room for are hatred, intolerance, and bigotry.”
So, while not originally conceived as a specific protest symbol, the X-Men became a powerful allegory for fighting for acceptance and equality.
X-Men ’97 Tackles Discrimination Beyond S*xuality
The new X-Men series isn’t just about mutants and the LGBTQ+ community; it also tackles the broader theme of discrimination, just like the original.
For example, there’s a scene in the original series where Storm and Wolverine face discrimination in a bar, not because they’re mutants, but because they’re a mixed-race couple. It’s a subtle way the show highlights different types of prejudice.
“That’s what I love about this show, the fact that it’s grown-up writing, which is so easily accessible by kids,” Sealy-Smith said in the same interview with EW. Overall, the creators of X-Men ’97 believe that empathy is crucial in fighting discrimination.
DeMayo, one of the creators, agrees with Professor X’s vision of a world where people can understand each other despite their differences.
This central message, along with the show’s commitment to childhood dreams like Gambit powering up Wolverine’s claws, ensures that X-Men ’97 will be a tribute to both old and new fans.
X-Men ’97 premiered yesterday on Disney+.
