The Big Picture

  • X-Men '97 is not canon to the MCU, confirmed by showrunner Beau DeMayo.
  • The series will be a direct sequel to the 90s animated show.
  • Disney+ and Marvel Studios are already working on Season 2 of X-Men '97.

After Disney+ released the immensely nostalgic trailer for their upcoming animated series X-Men ’97, fans couldn’t help but wonder if the new show will have any impact or be influenced by the ongoing Marvel Universe. Rather than speculating, though, some fans went straight to the source and decided to ask the animated series’ showrunner Beau DeMayo about it.

The showrunner and writer opened a Q&A box on his Instagram account this week, and when a fan asked whether X-Men ’97 was canon to the MCU, DeMayo was straightforward about it. He stated: “We are our own thing,” suggesting that the series will have no ties whatsoever with the ever-expanding Marvel Universe.

Fans have been on the lookout for the X-Men’s arrival in the MCU ever since Disney bought Fox back in 2019, meaning that the mutant superheroes would finally be able to join the likes of Captain America (Anthony Mackie) and Spider-Man (Tom Holland) in upcoming movies. So far, characters like Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and Beast (Kelsey Grammer) have had cameos in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and The Marvels, but the biggest participation of an X-Man will be in the upcoming blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine.

Is 'X-Men '97' A Sequel?

Even though X-Men ’97 seemingly won’t be connected to the MCU, it will come with its own backstory: The series is a direct sequel to the original animated show that aired in the 90s, and Season 1 picks up after the events of the original show’s fifth season—the death of Charles Xavier and the mission he left for his pupils. The mutants will once again be antagonized by Magneto, and one of the storylines of the 10-episode season will feature the villain taking over Xavier Institute.

It’s not a surprise that X-Men ’97 won’t be connected to the MCU. So far, the studio hasn’t put too much of an emphasis on connecting its animated and live-action projects. While the animated series What If…? uses the MCU as a starting point, the premise is to veer away from the stories we’re used to seeing, and this will probably be the case with the new series as well. In any case, Disney+ and Marvel Studios clearly are confident in the project, since Season 2 of the show is already in production. Let’s just hope that this new and nostalgic iteration of the X-Men stays for as long as the original show did – and brings back to the table complex discussions that the animated series used to tackle.

Disney+ premieres X-Men 97 on March 22. You can watch the trailer below:

Poster for X-Men '97
X-Men '97
AnimationActionAdventureSuperhero

A band of mutants use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them; they're challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future.

Release Date
March 20, 2024
Cast
Jennifer Hale , Cal Dodd , Chris Potter , Catherine Disher , Adrian Hough , Ray Chase , Lenore Zann
Main Genre
Animation
Seasons
2
Number of Episodes
10
Streaming Service(s)
Disney+
Franchise(s)
X-Men

Watch on Disney+