Before the sudden exit of X-Men ’97 creator Beau DeMayo, he talked about his passion for the X-Men franchise and its significance to him, not only as a fan but as a person. The continuation of the famed 1992 show X-Men: The Animated Series, which DeMayo helped bring to life, has finally debuted.
The nature of the X-Men family stems from diversity and uniqueness, with each member of the group possessing a power that is unlike any other. DeMayo compares his life to the same situation.
Beau DeMayo’s Childhood Reflects The Essence Of The X-Men Family
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, executive producer Brad Winderbaum revealed how Beau DeMayo helmed the story of X-Men ’97 out of his own life experience.
“He really touched on something fundamental about the X-Men, that it was a found family. I think the X-Men, because of who they are, inherently make people feel seen, make people feel like they’re allowed to use their voice. That conversation is at the heart of the show.”
DeMayo comes from a strange family where he does not share the same blood and ethnicity. He likened the situation to the mutants under the care of Professor Charles Xavier where they all try to live together despite their differences.
“My parents are white, my siblings are Korean, we’re all adopted, and there’s a lot of things that make us different. But I think, and it sounds so cheesy to say this, I do subscribe to the Charles Xavier model: Even at our most different, there’s a lot we still have in common.”
In another interview with The Direct, DeMayo admitted watching the X-Men: Animated Series inspired him to create his own version, as well as helped him cope with his situation.
“X-Men was my way of kind of making sense of this weird family where no one resembled me, but yet we weren’t blood, but we were supposed to be family. And then I think just watching that cartoon every weekend, it united my passion for storytelling, definitely, and really helped me understand myself.”
He recalled how the animated series helped create the first X-Men movie, which led to the production of the first Spider-Man film. If Sam Raimi’s project did not happen, comic book movies would not be a thing today, so DeMayo is very thankful for the existence of the X-Men franchise.
Why Was Beau DeMayo Fired?
It was a shocking report when, just before the release of X-Men ’97, DeMayo was suddenly fired by Marvel Studios. No concrete explanation was provided, though Jeff Sneider reported on his platform that the producer was allegedly “an absolute nightmare to deal with on a daily basis.”
If this holds true, it could mean creative difference is the culprit. The sequel series was planned to follow the original shows’ aesthetics, from its animation style down to the voice actors. Until an official statement is released, this will remain a speculation.
X-Men ’97 is now streaming on Disney+.
