Summary
X-Menfans were thrilled whenX-Men ‘97, a direct sequel to the original and belovedX-Men: The Animated Series, was announced and its first season did not disappoint. One of the voice actors shared a major update about the show.
Some fans were doubtful aboutX-Men ‘97when it was announced, probably due to superhero fatigue. Also, there were already a lot of reboots and remakes in the past that turned out to be a major disappointment. However, Marvel struck gold withX-Men ‘97. The show debuted on Disney Plus in March 2024 with 10 episodes. The animated series was well-received, with 99% approval ratings from 75 critics and 91% from all audiences onRotten Tomatoes. It also received significant viewership for Disney Plus, with 4 million views during its first five days.X-Menfans were pleased because the show remained faithful to the original series they loved and couldn’t wait for the second season. It has been a year since the first season dropped, but Season 2 is still in development and is not expected to be released until 2026. Marvel only confirmed two seasons. However, one of the voice actors gave a positive update about the show — production for Season 3 will soon begin.
Lenore Zann, who voicedRogueinX-Men ‘97, shared a major update about the beloved show during a recent Indiana Comic Convention panel. According to him, they are due to begin recording for Season 3 and it’s a pleasant surprise because Season 3 might arrive not too long after Season 2. “I’m about to start to go into the studio next week to start on season three, so I’ve got lots to look forward to,” Zann shared.X-Men ‘97Season 2 remains undated, much to fans’ disappointment as they were expecting it to arrive this year. However, Zann assured fans it is “coming out in 2026.”
There is a two-year gap betweenX-Men ‘97Season 1 and Season 2. This is probably because high-quality 2D animation is time-consuming to produce. The process includes storyboarding, voice acting, animation, coloring and post-production, which could take up to two years for an entire season. Unlike live-action, where actors can just film, the scenes in X-Men ‘97 have to be hand-drawn, animated, and refined. So, yes, fans need to be patient with it. Also,Beau DeMayo’s firing from the show may have impacted the production of Season 2. DeMayo was the head writer and executive producer ofX-Men ‘97Season 1. He ensured the remake would remain faithful to the originalX-Menanimated series and crafted the overall plot, including the major character arcs and themes. DeMayo played a significant role in the show’s success, so his departure was likely another major factor that caused fans to wait longer for Season 2.
X-Men ‘97is a huge success, which explains why fans are excited for Seasons 2 and 3. However, there are also concerns about whether the next seasons will retain the first season’s quality since DeMayo is no longer involved in the project. DeMayo made major contributions to the greatness of the first season, and his departure would surely affect the show. Although DeMayo is no longer part ofX-Men ‘97, he still closely follows it and comments on the edits made in his previous works. For instance, heslammed the changes done on Episode 4because he designed it to be true to the “Lifedeath” storyline from theX-Mencomics, but it was allegedly taken away from his creative team and given to an editor ofWhat Iffor revision, so the episode felt “off” for him. Let’s see what DeMayo will say when Season 2 airs.
