Marvel announced the reboot of the 1992 X-Men: The Animated Series, titled X-Men ’97, back in November 2021. The studio has finally revealed a release date for their second Disney+ animated series after What If…?. It almost feels like Marvel has managed to gain back their fans’ faith with the trailer for Deadpool and Wolverine and the current X-Men ’97 update. The studio was plagued by several disastrous projects, which failed to impress even hardcore Marvel fans.
Marvel’s last theatrical outing, The Marvels, was a box office disaster that failed to recoup its budget. Another MCU release, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, also disappointed the fandom after big promises of exploring the multiverse.
X-Men ’97 Reaffirms Fan Faith In Marvel Studios
After Echo, the next Disney+ project for Marvel Studios is the animated series featuring the new entry into the MCU, X-Men. The mutants will return to the screen in the series, titled X-Men ’97. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige earlier confirmed the 2024 release of the series, while talking to Entertainment Tonight at the world premiere of The Marvels. He revealed that the animated series will “really bring you back to the core of who the X-Men are.”
The new edition of Empire Magazine has revealed the first look and official release date for the series. X-Men ’97 will premiere on Disney+ on March 20th, Wednesday. However, it remains unknown whether it will be a single drop of all episodes or otherwise. The new look includes eight of the mutant superheroes: Gambit, Rogue, Jubilee, Rogue, Wolverine, Beast, Morph, and Bishop.
First look at ‘X-MEN ‘97’
Premieres March 20 on Disney+
(Source: @empiremagazine) pic.twitter.com/fw6UyoDizC
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) February 15, 2024
Fans were excited about the new project, and they celebrated the first full-fledged project of the coveted X-Men in the MCU in the comments. One fan was sure that the project would be extremely popular, while another shared that he was once again proud to be a Marvel fan. One comment mentioned how Marvel was having a great week with this announcement as well as the record-breaking Deadpool and Wolverine teaser. Some fan reactions read:
Marvel has no idea just how popular this is going to be, imo
— Gabe (@GabeInReality) February 15, 2024
Feels so good to be a marvel fan again lol
— Finestt Cartier 🔱 (@FinesttCartier) February 15, 2024
Marvels really come to play this week Damm
— _hazzaaa_ (@eviljesus123) February 15, 2024
Looks like the old xmen evolution style! I love it!
— VeryBerryMaize (The OG VBM) (@veryberrymaize) February 15, 2024
— mimicracy (@mimicracyy) February 15, 2024
Yes, Can't wait pic.twitter.com/xIkjwsUnaB
— TYWIN LANNISTER, HATES VALENTINES DAY 💔. Parody🟧 (@TywinResists) February 15, 2024
It appears that Marvel is currently relying on the X-Men legacy to regain its lost glory. The studio has been struggling for some time, with only a few projects that left an indelible mark. The X-Men properties were under the 20th Century Fox studio for a long time. In 2019, Disney acquired the studio and Marvel gained back the rights for the X-Men IP.
What To Expect From Marvel’s X-Men ’97?
X-Men ’97 showrunner Beau DeMayo and supervising producer Jake Castorena opened up about the show to Empire Magazine and introduced the characters of the mutant team. According to the article in Empire, the first season of the show is about “what happens when the X-Men are faced with a future they didn’t expect.”
According to ScreenRant, the first episode will explore the group of mutants striving to protect a world that hates and fears them. The reported cast of the series includes Ray Chase as Cyclops, Lenore Zann as Rogue, George Buza as Beast, Holly Chou as Jubilee, Alison Sealy-Smith as Storm, AJ LoCascio as Gambit, and Cal Dodd as Wolverine.
DeMayo earlier confirmed that Mister Sinister will be one of the main threats to the X-Men in this iteration as well (via The Direct). The series is expected to have ten episodes and a runtime similar to that of What If…?.
