The revival of the ’90s X-Men animated series has surprisingly dodged the ongoing Marvel curse and emerged as a critically acclaimed production. Does this mean we will see more of X-Men ’97 soon?
DC has consistently enjoyed more critical praise and fandom for its animated series than Marvel animations (Batman over Hulk, any day). However, the studio has been tirelessly working to regain momentum in the animated realm following a series of underwhelming responses to its cartoons. And judging by its 2024 plans, Marvel has cracked the code to get things moving again, even though they should’ve figured it out way sooner.
Every loyal Marvel fan who’s been around since the last century has clamored for the return of its 90s animated shows. It seems that the success and popularity of the animated Spider-Verse movies finally pushed Marvel to see potential in animated productions. Thanks to whoever in the studio office suggested this, Marvel is now more focused on the animated side of its world. And so, we got X-Men ’97, a revival of X-Men: The Animated Series.
What is X-Men ’97 about?
Addressing an important question before moving to the show’s future—X-Men ’97 is a sequel and a revival of X-Men: The Animated Series, which lasted from 1992 to 1997 for five seasons. 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 continues the story a year after the previous series’ conclusion. It follows the X-Men facing new challenges without Xavier, under the leadership of their former adversary Magneto. For the unversed, the X-Men are a team of mutant superheroes founded by Professor Charles Xavier. It includes Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm, Wolverine, Morph, Nightcrawler, Beast, Gambit, Jubilee, Bishop, Rogue, and Magneto.
Will there be X-Men ’97 season 2?
X-Men ’97 premiered with its first two episodes on March 20, 2024, and ran for a total of 10 episodes with its three-part finale airing on May 15. Towards the concluding episode, the series sets up major storylines to continue in season 2. So, does this mean X-Men ’97 season 2 is confirmed? The answer is a big, fat YES.
Marvel execs seem to believe in the plot of X-Men ’97 a little too much and are extremely hopeful about the success of the series. And so, the series is already greenlit to run for three seasons. Thus far, the show has neither disappointed fans nor the production studio. X-Men ’97 season 2 is already in production while season 3 has entered development as of May 2024. In fact, during Marvel’s First Animation Panel in July 2022, X-Men ’97 Season 2 was already announced to be in the works.
At this rate, it shouldn’t be long until we see the nostalgia continue with the next season. However, there are no official announcements regarding the release date yet. For now, season 2 has some big shoes to fill given the masterful presentation of the first season. So, let’s let it take its time.
Published: May 15, 2024 12:18 pm