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Draft:X-Men '97 season 2

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X-Men '97
Season 2
Starring
Release
Original networkDisney+

The second season of the American animated television series X-Men '97 is based on the Marvel Comics superhero team X-Men. The series is a revival of X-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997), continuing the story of the X-Men. It is produced by Marvel Studios, via its Marvel Animation label, with Beau DeMayo as head writer and Jake Castorena as supervising director.

Cal Dodd and Lenore Zann star as members of the X-Men. Dodd and Zann reprised their roles from the original series. Work on the season began by July 2022, with DeMayo and Castorena returning. Voice recording began by February 2023, writing was completed by March 2024, and animation work was underway.

The season is expected to premiere on the streaming service Disney+. A third season was confirmed in March 2024.[1][2]

Episodes

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No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal release date
111TBATBATBATBA

Cast and characters

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  • Cal Dodd as Logan / Wolverine:
    A hotheaded mutant with a regenerative healing factor, heightened senses, retractable claws, and an adamantium-laced skeleton.[3] Dodd reprises his role from the original series.[4]
  • Lenore Zann as Rogue:
    A mutant who absorbs the memories, powers, and energy of those she touches.[3] Zann said the character was on a mission to get justice for Gambit and the other mutants who were murdered in the first season.[5] Zann reprises her role from the original series.[4]

Additionally, Lawrence Bayne—who voiced Nathan Summers / Cable in the original series and Carl Denti / X-Cutioner in the first season—returned for the second season.[6][7] Other characters that are set to appear include En Sabah Nur / Apocalypse, Sabretooth, Lady Deathstrike, Havok, Mariko, Polaris, and Danger.[8][9]

Production

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Development

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X-Men '97, a revival and continuation of X-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997), was announced by Marvel Studios Animation in November 2021.[10][11] Beau DeMayo was set as head writer and executive producer,[12][13] with Jake Castorena as supervising director and Charley Feldman as supervising producer.[13] The Animated Series producer and director Larry Houston and showrunners Eric and Julia Lewald were consulting on the revival.[13][14] Work on a second season had begun by July 2022.[15][16] Chase Conley and Emi-Emmett Yonemura returned as directors from the first season.[17] DeMayo was fired by Marvel Studios in March 2024,[18] following an investigation that led to "egregious" findings.[19] The studio was searching for his replacement by then.[1][2] In June 2024, Marvel told DeMayo that they would be removing his credits from the second season due to violations of his termination agreement.[19][20] Matthew Chauncey, a writer on Marvel Studios' first animated series What If...? (2021–present), was hired in July 2024 to replace DeMayo as head writer of the series moving forward.[21]

Writing

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Writing on the second-season finale started by July 2023,[22] and DeMayo had finished writing for the season by the time he was fired in March 2024.[18] The season's scripts had reportedly been revised and rewritten by that July, with Chauncey overseeing the rewrites.[21][20] The season features a storyline centered around the villain Apocalypse which was teased at the end of the first season.[8]

Casting and voice recording

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Cal Dodd, who reprised his role as Logan / Wolverine from the original series in the first season, revealed in February 2023 that he had started recording for the second season.[23] Lenore Zann, who returned from the original series as Rogue, stated in August 2023 that she had begun recording material for the season as well.[24] By May 2024, she had completed her work on the season except for additional dialogue recording (ADR).[5] Lawrence Bayne, who voiced Nathan Summers / Cable in the original series and Carl Denti / X-Cutioner in the first season, also returned for the second season.[6][7] Despite the COVID-19 pandemic having less of an impact on the season's production, voice recording continued to take place remotely as with the first season due to many cast members being based in different locations.[25]

Animation and design

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The 2D animation style of the original series was retained, but "slightly modernized" to improve the quality and reflect advances in animation since the 1990s;[26][27] Castorena described the series as "fresh, but familiar".[28] Winderbaum said there was a "code of ethics" they followed to align with the restrictions of the 1990s animation, but they occasionally broke this for dramatic effect.[26] Animatics for the entire season had been created by March 2024.[1] The X-Men wear costumes in the season based on those from Grant Morrison's New X-Men (2001) comics. DeMayo said the decision to change the costumes was based on the story and themes he was focused on for the season, noting that the costumes had "strong ties" to the fictional country Genosha and Morrison's "E Is for Extinction" storyline from New X-Men #115 which was adapted in the first season.[9][29]

Music

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In April 2024, Taylor Newton Stewart confirmed that he and John Andrew Grush, known professionally as the Newton Brothers, were returning as composers for the second season but they had not yet begun writing music for it.[30]

Marketing

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The season was promoted during Marvel Studios Animation's panel at Disney's D23 convention in August 2024.[31][9]

Release

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The season is expected to premiere on the streaming service Disney+.

References

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  1. ^ a b c Romano, Nick (March 15, 2024). "Marvel head addresses X-Men '97 showrunner exit". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on March 16, 2024. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Marsh, Calum (March 25, 2024). "'X-Men' Is back, but a Key Member Is Missing". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 25, 2024. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Bonomolo, Cameron (February 20, 2024). "X-Men '97 Character Designs Gallery". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on February 22, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Meenan, Devin (March 19, 2024). "Every Original X-Men Animated Series Voice Actor That Returned For X-Men '97". /Film. Archived from the original on March 21, 2024. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  5. ^ a b Johnson, Michael Winn (May 8, 2024). "X-Men '97's Lenore Zann Opens Up About the Moment That Changed Rogue Forever". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on May 8, 2024. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  6. ^ a b Romano, Nick (February 15, 2024). "X-Men '97 exclusive look reveals legacy costumes, Theo James as a mystery 'fan favorite'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2024.
  7. ^ a b Flook, Ryan (June 1, 2023). "X-Men '97: Lawrence Bayne Confirms Season 2 Casting – But Voicing Who?". Bleeding Cool. Archived from the original on June 21, 2023. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  8. ^ a b Vary, Adam B. (May 18, 2024). "Inside 'X-Men '97': EP Brad Winderbaum Talks Shocking Deaths, Marvel Cameos and Bringing 'Human Desire' to the Show". Variety. Archived from the original on May 18, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  9. ^ a b c Mitovich Webb, Matt (August 10, 2024). "Marvel Zombies (TV-MA!), Spider-Man, Eyes of Wakanda (Iron Fist?!) and Other Animated Series Get Updates at D23". TVLine. Archived from the original on August 11, 2024. Retrieved August 11, 2024.
  10. ^ Couch, Aaron (November 12, 2021). "Disney+ Orders '90s 'X-Men' Revival, 'Marvel Zombies' and 'Spider-Man: Freshman Year'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  11. ^ Kim, Matt (November 12, 2021). "X-Men '97 Is a Revival of the Original 90s Animated Series, Coming to Disney+ in 2023". IGN. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  12. ^ Patches, Matt (November 12, 2021). "New X-Men cartoon set in the '90s Animated Series continuity coming to Disney Plus". Polygon. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  13. ^ a b c Belt, Robyn (November 12, 2021). "Exclusive: Cast Announcement for 'X-Men '97' Coming to Disney+". Marvel.com. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  14. ^ Gonzalez, Umberto (November 12, 2021). "'X-Men '97': 1990s Marvel Animated Series Gets 2023 Revival on Disney+ (Exclusive)". TheWrap. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 13, 2021.
  15. ^ Moreau, Jordan (July 22, 2022). "'X-Men '97' Gets First Nostalgic Look, Fall 2023 Release and Season 2". Variety. Archived from the original on July 22, 2022. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  16. ^ Galuppo, Mia; Kit, Borys (July 22, 2022). "Spider-Man, X-Men and Zombies Wow Comic-Con at Marvel's First Animation Panel". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 22, 2022. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  17. ^ Behbakht, Andy (May 22, 2024). "X-Men '97 Season 1 Directors On Marvel Cameos, Storm's Rebirth & The 3-Part Finale". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on May 23, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  18. ^ a b Kit, Borys; Couch, Aaron (March 12, 2024). "Marvel Shocker: 'X-Men '97' Creator Beau DeMayo Fired Weeks Before Premiere (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 12, 2024. Retrieved March 12, 2024.
  19. ^ a b Couch, Aaron; Kit, Borys (August 15, 2024). "Marvel Fires Back Over 'X-Men '97' Creator's Claim He Was "Stripped" of Season 2 Credit, Cites "Egregious" Investigation Findings (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 16, 2024. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
  20. ^ a b Schreur, Brandon (August 16, 2024). "Marvel Reportedly Rewriting Most of X-Men '97 Season 2 Following Beau DeMayo Firing". SuperHeroHype. Archived from the original on August 16, 2024. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
  21. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (July 9, 2024). "'X-Men '97': Matthew Chauncey Set As New Writer Of Marvel Animated Series For Disney+". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  22. ^ Belt, Robyn (July 21, 2023). "SDCC 2023: Marvel Studios' 'X-Men '97' Update". Marvel.com. Archived from the original on August 5, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2023.
  23. ^ Brail, Nathaniel (February 17, 2023). "Marvel's X-Men '97 Series Confirms Production on Season 2". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on February 17, 2023. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  24. ^ Lovett, Jamie (August 15, 2023). "X-Men '97 Cast Gives Season 2 Update". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on August 15, 2023. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  25. ^ Lacson, Therese (March 27, 2024). "Jennifer Hale & Ray Chase Offer Crumbs on a Huge Plot Twist Coming to 'X-Men '97'". Collider. Archived from the original on April 21, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  26. ^ a b McLean, Tom (February 28, 2024). "The Creative Heroes of 'X-Men '97' Reveal the New Mutations of the Nostalgic Marvel Series". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on March 1, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
  27. ^ Bonomolo, Cameron (February 7, 2022). "X-Men '97 Producers Reveal Intel on X-Men: The Animated Series Revival". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on February 8, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
  28. ^ Moreau, Jordan (March 14, 2024). "'X-Men '97' and 'The Animated Series' Creators — Then and Now — Talk Revival, Playing With 'Disney Money' and Morph's Nonbinary Backlash (Exclusive)". Variety. Archived from the original on March 14, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  29. ^ Meenan, Devin (April 10, 2024). "X-Men '97 Just Adapted One Of The Darkest Marvel Storylines Ever". /Film. Archived from the original on April 10, 2024. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  30. ^ Milheim, Russ (April 12, 2024). "X-Men '97 Season 2 Will Bring Back Two Key Players from Season 1 (Exclusive)". The Direct. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  31. ^ Bankhurst, Adam (July 11, 2024). "D23 2024 Will Include First Looks at X-Men '97 Season 2, Spider-Man Animated Series, and More". IGN. Archived from the original on July 11, 2024. Retrieved July 12, 2024.
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