Summary

X-Men ’97
Season 2 is in the animatic phase, featuring famous mutants fighting familiar villains.
Marvel was quick to greenlight the second season, reducing delay after the successful debut.
Beau DeMayo’s reduced role in Season 2 may bring changes, with many creative decisions left on the cutting room floor.

X-Men ’97 producer Brad Winderbaum recently shared details about the upcoming Season 2 of the series. Fans of the revival X-Men series just witnessed the season finale on Disney+ and are already eager for what’s next.

According to Winderbaum in an interview with Comicbook, the production of X-Men ’97 Season 2 is still in the early stages, specifically the animatic phase. This preliminary step in animation involves creating a series of sketches put together in sequence, accompanied by dialogue and sound effects. Winderbaum said:

It’s still an animatic phase. Animation takes so long to make as I’m sure you know. There was a great bit about this in Invincible Season 2. They just nailed it so hard, it is the greatest. And it takes a long time.

X-Men ’97 4.5/5 Release Date March 20, 2024 Cast Jennifer Hale , Chris Potter , Ray Chase , George Buza , Catherine Disher , JP Karliak Seasons 1 Studio Marvel Studios Franchise Marvel

Marvel was fortunate to receive an early green light for the second season of X-Men ’97, reducing the usual delay that follows a show’s initial success.

“Because the studio wants to see how successful the first season is before they greenlight the second season there’s a lag. We were lucky enough to get the greenlight before we aired so there’s maybe less of a lag. People are just going to have to be patient with us.”

X-Men ’97, showrunner Beau DeMayo has clarified his reduced role in the show’s eagerly awaited second season. Despite being an important figure in the series’ debut, DeMayo revealed he is no longer at the helm. DeMayo recently addressed his followers on Twitter, explaining his ongoing connection to the project. While he crafted much of the upcoming season’s script, his involvement has significantly diminished beyond writing.

“I did write a lot of Season 2. However, unlike Season 1, I will not be heavily involved or leading production, cast records, design, editorial, post, music, etc., nor doing any production rewrites as it relates to the creative vision of the show.”

Expressing both detachment and optimism, DeMayo concluded,

“This is why I’ve said I can’t really speak to Season 2. But, looking forward to seeing the final product with you all whenever it airs. I have high hopes.”

WARNING! This part contains X-Men ’97 spoilers.

X-Men ’97 Finale Marvel Cameo Could Hint at Epic Crossovers

X-Men ’97 Season 1 finale introduced a parade of Marvel heavyweights—from Captain America to Doctor Strange—setting the stage for fans to speculate of possible future showdowns, including an “Avengers vs. X-Men” scenario.

Winderbaum told ComicBook that the cameos idea was originally from “The Animated Series.”

“The path is laid out for us from that. Larry Houston was famous for adding cameos to the original show, [X-Men: The Animated Series]. In our goal to try to emulate that original series, we were trying to do the same.”

However, for every cameo that fans see, many more ideas were left on the cutting room floor. Winderbaum highlighted the extensive creative process behind these decisions, noting, “For every cameo idea you see on screen, there’s 50 more that didn’t make it.”

Related X-Men ’97’s Finale Just Answered a 30-Year-Old Question The X-Men ’97 season finale answered some major questions fans have had for three decades while raising more questions and setting up Season 2.

Setting the series in the ’90s has allowed for a distinctive creative freedom, untethered from the constraints of the modern Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“The choice to set ‘X-Men ’97’ in the 90s was somewhat freeing. It allowed us to explore directions and introduce elements in ways we couldn’t have if we were tied closely to the modern MCU framework, as seen in series like ‘What If…?’.”

X-Men ’97
and
X-Men: The Animated Series
are now streaming on Disney+.