X-Men '97 continues the story of X-Men: The Animated Series. In both series, Mutants are people born with superhuman abilities that generally manifest during puberty. The X-Men are a team of mutant superheroes founded by Professor Charles Xavier to protect mutants and humans alike. At the end of The Animated Series, Xavier nearly dies in an assassination attempt and is taken to space to be healed by the alien Shi'ar Empire. X-Men '97 begins a year later and sees the X-Men facing new challenges without Xavier, under the leadership of their former adversary Magneto. As with the original series, X-Men '97 combines action, soap opera-style drama, and exploration of serious topics.
Larry Houston, producer and director X-Men: The Animated Series, stated in 2019 that he had discussed a revival of the series with Disney. As Marvel Studios was developing the first season of What If...?, executives began discussing what their next animated project could be, with a revival of X-Men: The Animated Series being the first of these ideas. The revival was announced in November 2021. Many of the people involved with the revival were fans of the 1990s series and knew exactly what the continuation should be. Beau DeMayo was announced as head writer and executive producer, with Jake Castorena as supervising director and Charley Feldman as supervising producer. Houston and the original series' showrunners, Eric and Julia Lewald, serve as consultants on the revival, assisting with "any red flags" that may arise, while also suggesting ideas of things they would like to see. Marvel Studios' Kevin Feige, Vasquez-Eberhardt, and Winderbaum also serve as executive producers of the series.
It is the first X-Men project from Marvel Studios since they regained the rights to the characters from 20th Century Fox, which DeMayo said added pressure to the series due to the characters' and original animated series' large fanbase. Eric and Julia Lewald believed Disney and Marvel Studios fast-tracking the revival was attributed to the success of the original series streaming on Disney+ and the artbook X-Men: The Art and Making of The Animated Series. During Marvel Studios Animation's panel at the 2022 San Diego Comic-Con, X-Men '97 and the other projects discussed were introduced as being part of the "Marvel Animated Multiverse". Work on a second season had already begun by July 2022[1][2], with writing on the second season finale having started by July 2023[3]. DeMayo had completed his writing work on the second season and discussed ideas for a potential third season by early March 2024 when he was fired by Marvel Studios ahead of the series' premiere.[4] Later that month, Brad Winderbaum confirmed that development on a third season would soon begin and that they were searching for DeMayo's replacement by then.[5]
Animation[]
The animation for the series is updated from the original series to use more sophisticated modern technology, featuring "slightly modernized" designs. Work on the animatics had begun by November 2021, with full animation having begun by April 2023.
Music[]
Original series composer Ron Wasserman was set to meet with Marvel and the crew about his involvement in the revival, but the Newton Brothers were announced to be the series' composers.[6] The main theme is similar to that of the original series, but it is credited to Haim Saban and Shuki Levy—the music executives on X-Men: The Animated Series rather than Wasserman. It was first heard in the MCU film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and then the series Ms. Marvel when those projects referenced mutants. Eric Lewald believed Marvel Studios paid a large amount for the rights to use the Animated Series theme, which had its rights "all over the place".
Both of these projects were released and utilized the theme song prior to the release of X-Men '97.
This series is the fourth time voice actress Jennifer Hale voices Jean Grey, after voicing her in Wolverine and the X-Men, Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Marvel Anime: X-Men & Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order.
While Alyson Court is part of the revival's cast, she doesn't reprise her role as Jubilee, as, per her request, an Asian-American actress voices Jubilee.
This is the first time that any of the surviving cast from the 1992 X-Men series reprise their roles since Marvel vs. Capcom 2 in 2000. This is due to the voice actors from the previous Saban produced Marvel animated programs reprising their roles between X-Men Children of the Atom and this game prior to all of them being replaced in Marvel vs. Capcom 3.
X-Men '97 is the first American X-Men animated series to be released ever since Wolverine and the X-Men, which last aired 15 years before the release of this series.
Between the end of the original show and the beginning of this one, Morph transitioned into non-binary, and now uses they/them pronouns.
As with the original series, various comic storylines are adapted for the series, including "Lifedeath" from Uncanny X-Men #186 (1984).
