But that doesn’t mean they don’t have big plans for the folks at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. However, these plans have come in a most unexpected way. The first Marvel Studios X-Men project isn’t a movie, a live action TV series, or even a reboot. It’s a continuation of what is probably the best known and most beloved interpretation of the franchise of all time: the 1990s X-Men: The Animated Series which ran for five seasons beginning in 1992. That’s right, Disney+ will air a Marvel Studios animated series called X-Men ’97 beginning in 2023. And you have to appreciate the style in which they made the announcement, referencing a beloved Wolverine meme from the series. Released at the height of the X-Men’s popularity in comics, X-Men: The Animated Series was perhaps the ultimate distillation of Marvel’s mutant lore, bringing hundreds of characters to the screen over the course of its 76 episodes, and adapting some of the most famous stories from the comics, from the classic Dark Phoenix Saga to recent (at the time) events like The Phalanx Covenant. And for many fans, it was their first exposure to Marvel’s mutants, and the series leaned into the interpersonal/soap opera elements of the comics nor the socially conscious themes that had informed the books almost from their inception. Why X-Men ’97? Because 1997 is the year the series aired the final episodes of its fifth and final season. However, that season was marred by long delays between airings. It kicked off in September of ’96, but despite only consisting of 10 episodes, it didn’t finish airing until September of ’97. In other words: it’s technically a 1996 season of TV. Which means whatever comes next is 1997. So, as that X-Men ’97 title suggests, it looks like the plan here is to simply pick up where the classic series left off. A few years ago, X-Men: The Animated Series showrunner Eric Lewald talked about what the sixth season of the show would have potentially looked like, saying: It’s not clear if that would still be the case here, and we have to imagine the series would require at least some reintroduction for younger fans who don’t have the same attachment to the series as their older counterparts. However, a teaser image from the series doesn’t include Professor Xavier, which indicates that they’re probably not picking up too long after the events of that finale considering his absence. It’s also not clear in what capacity X-Men: The Animated Series executive producers Eric and Julia Lewald are involved with X-Men ’97, since Beau DeMayo (The Witcher) is credited as executive producer and head writer. Although it does seem like they’re doing something with it. “Thanks to the dedicated people at Marvel, many of whom grew up on X-Men: The Animated Series, our X-Men family is preparing to return, with more stories for the fans who loved our show,” they wrote on their website. “We are honored to be included, to assist the creative team in any way we can. Now, twenty-five years later, to our X-Men family, with gratitude and love, we say ‘welcome back.’” What do you want to see on the return of X-Men: The Animated Series? Let us know in the comments!
