Summary
Riding on the success ofX-Men ‘97Season 1, Marvel Animation is already looking past the upcoming second season.X-Men ‘97Season 3 is currently in the works, and it will introduce a new showrunner to replace Beau DeMayo. One of the directors returning from the first two seasons has shared insights into the fresh creative direction for the Marvel animated series in its third installment.
Although it’snot considered part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe canon,X-Men ‘97is the first X-Men-focused project for the franchise, continuing from the 1990sX-Men: The Animated Series. After the early departure of Head Writer Beau DeMayo in March, Marvel Studios took its time before appointing Matthew Chauncey as the showrunner for Season 3. DeMayo’s work on Season 2 was already finished, so there was no rush to replace him. However, a legal battle seems imminent with DeMayo’s name being removed from the Season 2 credits. Meanwhile, production on Season 2 is wrapping up, and work on Season 3 is progressing, with the show’s Director weighing in on the new showrunner.
In a conversation withScreen Rant, director Emi/Emmett Yonemura, who directed several episodes of X-Men ‘97 Season 1, including “Fire Made Flesh,” “Remember It,” “Bright Eyes,” and “Tolerance Is Extinction - Part 2,” had high praise for the series’new Head Writer, Matthew Chauncey. ThoughX-Men ‘97season 2 has yet to debut, the show’s team was questioned about the new showrunner change for season 3. Yonemura spoke enthusiastically about starting their collaboration with Chauncey, praising his work as amazing and labeling him a “genius.““Oh, he’s lovely. I absolutely love working with him,“the director raved.“He hasn’t even been on super long, and he’s already a super sweet, incredibly talented writer, so we’re already having a blast over here, and I’m really excited for fans to kind of see what he helps bring to the table because it’s amazing, he’s a genius.“Chauncey, known for his contributions toWhat If…?andMs. Marvel, has taken over from DeMayo as Head Writer and may have even revised the scripts for the upcoming X-Men ‘97 season 2, which could explain Disney’s decision to remove DeMayo’s name from the project.
Former X-Men ‘97 Head Writer Beau DeMayo has hinted that homophobia may have played a role inhis dismissal from the Disney+ series, alleging that Marvel removed his name from season 2’s credits after he posted LGBTQ+-themed fan art. In response, Marvel Studios issued a rare statement citing “egregious” misconduct as the reason for DeMayo’s March 2024 firing. While specific details remain undisclosed, sources suggest the dismissal involved allegations of sexual misconduct. An agreement was reportedly reached to limit DeMayo’s public commentary about the show, which he allegedly breached, leading to his season 2 credit removal. Despite his exit, DeMayo had already completed work on both seasons 1 and 2, which were closely interconnected. The conclusion of season 1, with several mutants scattered across time, suggests that much of season 2 will focus on reuniting them, but DeMayo’s departure raises questions about the show’s future, particularly the direction of season 3.
With Chauncey taking over as the new showrunner,X-Men ‘97season 3 could potentially introduce a fresh storyline that diverges from season 2. If this happens, it wouldn’t be surprising if season 2 wraps up without any significant cliffhangers, allowing season 3 to stand on its own. The bigger question now is how long Marvel fans will have to wait for the second season to debut on Disney+. Given thatX-Men ‘97season 2 has been in developmentfor a while, the show could return in early 2025. Until then, fans can revisit season 1 as they anticipate the upcoming seasons. Featuring iconic characters like Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm, and Wolverine,X-Men ‘97remains one of Marvel Studios’ most acclaimed titles on Disney+.
