Everything We Know So Far About X-Men '97
#8: Producers, Writers and Showrunners
Say hello to the puppeteers behind the hyped resurrection! The head writer, as well as executive producer, on “X-Men ‘97” is Beau DeMayo, known for his work on the Netflix series “The Witcher”, as well as its animated spin-off “The Witcher:Nightmare of the Wolf.” Supervising director Jake Castorena is known for his work on “Batman: The Killing Joke”, and consultants on the series Eric and Julia Lewald wrote for the original “X-Men” series in the 90s. Additionally, original series director Larry Houston will be consulting. We can safely say that we feel our favorite mutants are in good hands.
#7: The Meme Announcement
Memes are everywhere, and the producers for“X-Men ‘97” are no strangers to them. That’s why when the time came for the big reveal, what better way to do so than to make use of a popular meme? The “Sad Wolverine” came in handy when the initial announcement for the show was made. Old school fans will remember the scene depicting Logan’s melancholic longing for Jean Grey, while newcomers will likely recognize it as an online trend. Good to know the creators are in on the joke.
#6: Original Voice Actors Return
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Even among the upper echelons of 90s animation, the voice acting on this show was stellar! Producers on the new series were apparently well aware of this, and have hired back almost all of the original cast. This includes Cal Dodd’s Wolverine, George Buza’s Beast, Alison Sealey-Smith’s Storm, Chris Potter’s Gambit and Catherine Disher’s Jean Grey. Cyclops actor Norm Spencer sadly passed away in 2020. The voices on the show were iconic for fans, and their return is exciting news. We’ve missed that classic Wolverine snarl.
#5: A Change in Casting for Jubilee
One name noticeably missing from the original roster is Alyson Court as Jubilee. As it turns out, the actress stepped down as the voice of Jubilee in order to make way for an Asian actress to take on the role. The character of Jubilee is actually daughter to two Chinese immigrants, and is thus very much Asian-American. Court is involved in the project, however, and will be lending her voice to an unannounced character. As long as that fashionable yellow raincoat is on, we’re on board with it.
#4: Character Designs Mostly Unchanged
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90s kids can definitely rejoice and expect that nostalgic feeling, as the character designs are nearly unchanged. Any changes that were made to the original designs are subtle, and frankly, slight improvements. For example, Rogue’s facial features appear younger and more personable. Gambit’s odd-lengthed legs are now shortened and more natural. Wolverine is retaining that iconic yellow costume, yet it is made slightly less silly with minor changes to the adornments on his boots. Jubilee’s features are far more Asian, as the original design seemed a little ambiguous. Generally, our heroes remain visually the same, with some refining of the minor flaws, and softening of the rough features.
#3: Not Part of the MCU
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The new series will not be produced by Kevin Feige, and is not intended to be in the MCU timeline. In fact, it has been advertised as a continuation of the original series, hence the title “X-Men ‘97.” The original series did however have a slew of Marvel guest characters, including Captain America, Thor and Doctor Strange. Since these characters have major story arcs in the MCU, both live and animated, it’s fair to say that it would be an unusual choice to tie the two universes together. While there might be a cameo here and there, we doubt there’s going to be any ties to the multiverse.
#2: New Voices
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As previously mentioned, the voice actors we all loved are returning to play their characters. However, there are a few new names on the roster, whose characters have yet to be announced. One notable example is Jennifer Hale, best known for her incredible work in the Mass Effect Trilogy as Commander Shepard Other names on the “97” roster are Matthew Waterson and JP Karliak, both of whom voiced parts in Netflix’s “Castlevania” series among others, as well as veteran voice actor Jeff Bennett, who notably voiced Johnny Bravo. Oooh mama!
#1: Continuity
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There are no definite details pertaining to the plot of the new series, however it has been revealed that it will feature “an impactful event.” This isn’t much to go on, as the X-Men have probably never been through anything un-impactful. However, it has been heavily implied that this will be a continuation of the 90s series. The last time we left our favourite gaggle of mutants, they had formed a fragile alliance with Magneto, while their leader Professor Xavier was ill and on his way to the Shi’Ar Empire for a possible cure. The “97” series claims to “reunite” the X-Men, which implies there has been some sort of separation or argument that drew them apart. It’s going to be one hell of a class reunion.
