All of the ’90s Marvel fans’ dreams are about to come true as one of the best Marvel animated series ever made is about to get a long-awaited continuation in X-Men ’97. If the title sounds confusing, the reason for the show’s name comes from it being a revival of the 1992 fan-favorite show, X-Men: The Animated Series, which ended its run in 1997. It’s one of the earliest adaptations of the now-massively popular X-Men comics characters and is truly what cemented them into pop-culture icons before the many film and television adaptations we’ve gotten since.
There were, of course, many Marvel superhero cartoons before, such as the 1960s Spider-Man series. That said, there’s a real case to be made that X-Men: The Animated Series is far and away the most influential due to its massive popularity and incredible faithfulness to the source material. Many other adaptations of Marvel characters popped up in the ’90s, such as Spider-Man: The Animated Series, which even crossed over with X-Men: The Animated Series occasionally. Almost like a Marvel Cinematic Universe before there even was a Marvel Cinematic Universe. For the first time in over twenty years, we’ll finally see the legendary interpretations of these iconic characters reunite. To learn more about the upcoming revival’s cast, plot, release window, and more, here is everything we know about X-Men ’97.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated on March 6, 2024.
X-Men ’97
Continuation of X-Men: The Animated Series (1992) .
Release Date March 20, 2024
Cast Jennifer Hale , Cal Dodd , Chris Potter , Catherine Disher , Adrian Hough , Ray Chase , Lenore Zann
Seasons 2
Number of Episodes 10
Streaming Service(s) Disney+
Franchise(s) X-Men
When is X-Men ’97 Coming Out?
Image via Marvel Entertainment
After nearly 30 years, the X-Men return on March 20, 2024. The series looks to pick up a few years after the end of the original series.
Where Can You Watch X-Men ’97?
Image via Marvel Entertainment
Those who have been begging for a revival of X-Men: The Animated Series can thank the House of Mouse, as X-Men ’97 is being released as a Disney+ exclusive. Despite Marvel not being owned by the massive media conglomerate when X-Men: The Animated Series was on the air, Disney+ has now become a hub for all manner of animated Marvel shows, such as Spider-Man: The Animated Series, X-Men: Evolution, and Spectacular Spider-Man. Here’s hoping that if X-Men ’97 is a success, it will lead to those other canceled-before-their-time shows getting another chance in a revival.
Is There a Trailer for X-Men ’97?
Marvel released the trailer for X-Men ’97 on February 15, 2024. While the runtime is under two minutes long, we get a ton of new information on our favorite mutants. Magneto has Xavier’s will, Jean is apparently pregnant, and Cyclops is still leading the X-Men. We can’t wait to see where this leads once the show premieres.
Who Stars in X-Men ’97?
Speaking of staying faithful to the source material, fans of X-Men: The Animated Series will be delighted to know that almost the entire cast of the iconic show will return to play their equally beloved characters in X-Men ’97. This includes your favorite X-Men members like Cal Dodd as Wolverine, Chris Potter as Gambit, Adrian Hough as Nightcrawler, Lenore Zann as Rogue, George Buza as Beast, and Alison Sealy-Smith as Storm. Some of the only cast members that are not returning are Norm Spencer as Cyclops and David Hemblen as Magneto since they both have sadly passed away, though both of their characters are confirmed to appear in the show. Catherine Disher will not return as Jean Grey, with Jennifer Hale taking over the role. Chris Britton will also be reprising his role as Mr. Sinister, replacing the reformed Magneto as the show’s main antagonist.
The all-star voice cast is rounded out by new members consisting of Ray Chase (Pokémon) as Cyclops, JP Karliak (Batman: The Killing Joke) as Morph, Matthew Waterson (Trollhunters: Tales of Arcadia) as Magneto, Holly Chou (The Big Sick) as Jubilee, and Anniwaa Buachie (Archer) and A.J. LoCascio (Voltron: Legendary Defender) in unspecified roles.
What is X-Men ’97 About?
Image via Marvel Entertainment
As expected, X-Men ’97 will continue where X-Men: The Animated Series left off, following Professor X (Cedric Smith) going into space with Shi’ar ally Lilandra (Camilla Scott) to find a cure for his terminal illness. The official synopsis for X-Men ’97 10-episode season reads as follows:
“Storm and Wolverine try to continue the X-Men. Magneto comes in and wants to step up for Charles Xavier. Sinister comes in to try to end the X-Men once and for all.”
Who is Making X-Men ’97?
Image via Marvel Entertainment
Though much of the creative team from X-Men: The Animated Series will be contributing to X-Men ’97, the sequel series will have a new showrunner in Beau DeMayo, who previously wrote and produced Moon Knight and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Experienced animation helmers will be directing the series this time around: Jake Castorena (Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and Chase Conley (Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts). The series will be produced by regular Disney+ Marvel producer Brad Winderbaum (What If…?) and experienced animation producer Charley Feldman (The Owl House). Music will be composed by The Newton Brothers, which will almost certainly incorporate the original show’s iconic theme song.
Will X-Men ’97 Get a Season 2?
Image via Marvel Entertainment
It has been confirmed that X-Men ’97 Season 1 will not be its last. A second season has already been confirmed and will be arriving on Disney+ at a later date. They’re already working on the next season, according to Rogue voice actress Lenore Zann.
Is X-Men: The Animated Series Available to Stream on Disney+?
Image via Disney+
Yes, if you need a recap of the story so far, all five seasons of X-Men: The Animated Series are available to stream on Disney+. The streaming service is home to some of the best X-Men content around, including other stellar animated shows in the form of X-Men: Evolution and Wolverine and the X-Men. Also available are some of the live-action feature film entries on the service, including X-Men: The Last Stand, The Wolverine, X-Men: Apocalypse, X-Men: Dark Phoenix, and The New Mutants. Even the gritty R-rated entries are available with Deadpool films and Logan.
Watch on Disney+