All of the ’90s Marvel fans’ dreams are about to come true as one of the best Marvel animated series ever made is about to get a long-awaited continuation in X-Men ’97. If the title sounds confusing, the reason for the show’s name comes from it being a revival of the 1992 fan-favorite show, X-Men: The Animated Series, which ended its run in 1997. It’s one of the earliest adaptations of the now-massively popular X-Men comics characters and is truly what cemented them into pop-culture icons before the many film and television adaptations we’ve gotten since.
There were, of course, many Marvel superhero cartoons before, such as the 1960s Spider-Man series. That said, there’s a real case to be made that X-Men: The Animated Series is far and away the most influential due to its massive popularity and incredible faithfulness to the source material. Many other adaptations of Marvel characters popped up in the ’90s, such as Spider-Man: The Animated Series, which even crossed over with X-Men: The Animated Series occasionally. Almost like a Marvel Cinematic Universe before there even was a Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on September 9, 2023.
For the first time in over twenty years, we’ll finally see the legendary interpretations of these iconic characters reunite. To learn more about the upcoming revival’s cast, plot, release window, and more, here is everything we know about X-Men ’97.
When is X-Men ’97 Coming Out?
While no release date has been set for X-Men ’97 just yet, the writers of the original series, Eric and Julia Lewald, did share some information on when the show is expected to drop, as well as the show’s episode count:
“There is great love and affection and respect from an entire group of people that are doing this show, starting at the top with Beau DeMayo as the showrunner. And they have this challenge, I believe, looking at 10 episodes for the first season that’s gonna come out mid-next year, and they’re starting it soon after ours ended.”
Eric and Julia Lewald’s comments were made in February 2022, and suggested a 2023 release date. Unfortunately, the series will not be hitting Disney+ until sometime in 2024.
Where Can You Watch X-Men ’97?
Those who have been begging for a revival of X-Men: The Animated Series can thank the House of Mouse, as X-Men ’97 is being released as a Disney+ exclusive. Despite Marvel not being owned by the massive media conglomerate when X-Men: The Animated Series was on the air, Disney+ has now become a hub for all manner of animated Marvel shows, such as Spider-Man: The Animated Series, X-Men: Evolution, and Spectacular Spider-Man. Here’s hoping that if X-Men ’97 is a success, it will lead to those other canceled-before-their-time shows getting another chance in a revival.
Is There a Trailer for X-Men ’97?
While supposedly deep into post-production, we still haven’t gotten a full trailer for X-Men ’97. The closest thing we’ve gotten to promotional material thus far are some character designs from recent convention showings, all of which show that the series will not significantly change the iconic and comic-accurate art style of X-Men: The Animated Series.
Who Stars in X-Men ’97?
Speaking of staying faithful to the source material, fans of X-Men: The Animated Series will be delighted to know that almost the entire cast of the iconic show will return to play their equally beloved characters in X-Men ’97. This includes all your favorite X-Men members like Cal Dodd as Wolverine, Chris Potter as Gambit, Catherine Disher as Jean Grey, Adrian Hough as Nightcrawler, Lenore Zann as Rogue, George Buza as Beast, and Alison Sealy-Smith as Storm. Some of the only cast members that are not returning are Norm Spencer as Cyclops and David Hemblen as Magneto since they both have sadly passed away, though both of their characters are confirmed to appear in the show. Chris Britton will also be reprising his role as Mr. Sinister, replacing the reformed Magneto as the show’s main antagonist.
The all-star voice cast is rounded out by new members consisting of Jennifer Hale (Mass Effect), Ray Chase (Pokémon), A.J. LoCascio (Voltron: Legendary Defender), JP Karliak (Batman: The Killing Joke), Matthew Waterson (Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia), Anniwaa Buachie (Archer), and Holly Chou (The Big Sick).
What is X-Men ’97 About?
As expected, X-Men ’97 will continue where X-Men: The Animated Series left off, following Professor X (Cedric Smith) going into space with Shi’ar ally Lilandra (Camilla Scott) to find a cure for his terminal illness. The official synopsis for X-Men ’97 reads as follows:
“Storm and Wolverine try to continue the X-Men. Magneto comes in and wants to step up for Charles Xavier. Sinister comes in to try to end the X-Men once and for all.”
Who is Making X-Men ’97?
Though much of the creative team from X-Men: The Animated Series will be contributing to X-Men ’97, the sequel series will have a new showrunner in Beau DeMayo, who previously wrote and produced Moon Knight and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Directing the series this time around will be experienced animation helmers in Jake Castorena (Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and Chase Conley (Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts). Producing the series will be regular Disney+ Marvel producer Brad Winderbaum (What If…?) and experienced animation producer Charley Feldman (The Owl House). Music will be composed by The Newton Brothers, which will almost certainly incorporate the original show’s iconic theme song.
Will X-Men ’97 Get a Season 2?
It has been confirmed that X-Men ’97 Season 1 will not be its last. A second season has already been confirmed and will be arriving on Disney+ at a later date. They’re already working on the next season, according to Rogue voice actress Lenore Zann.
Is X-Men: The Animated Series Available to Stream on Disney+?
Yes, if you need a recap of the story so far, all five seasons of X-Men: The Animated Series are available to stream on Disney+. The streaming service is home to some of the best X-Men content around, including other stellar animated shows in the form of X-Men: Evolution and Wolverine and the X-Men. Also available are some of the live-action feature film entries on the service, including X-Men: The Last Stand, The Wolverine, X-Men: Apocalypse, X-Men: Dark Phoenix, and The New Mutants. Even the gritty R-rated entries are available with Deadpool films and Logan.
