X-Men ’97 reveals Magneto as new leader, plus season 2 on tap

X-Men fans finally heard a few details about X-Men ’97, the upcoming Disney Plus revival of X-Men: The Animated Series, at a Marvel Studios panel at San Diego Comic-Con on Friday. The panel, which focused on Marvel animation projects such as Marvel Zombies and What If…?, also revealed that X-Men ’97 already has been greenlit for a second season even before its first season airs next year.

X-Men ’97 will pick up where the original animated X-Men left off back in 1997 before its cancellation. The gripping final episode “Graduation Day” left the mutant heroes in an unusual spot. In that episode, Professor Charles Xavier got attacked on live television by anti-mutant bigot Henry Peter Gyrich. Xavier sustained psychic injuries from the attack, and unable to help him, the X-Men turned to Magneto, whose longstanding mistrust of humans and their bigotry now seemed far more reasonable in light of Xavier’s plight. Xavier’s on-again-off-again alien girlfriend Lilandra (it’s a long story — watch the show!) then took Xavier away to her planet for psychic healing that only her people could provide, leaving the X-Men under the leadership of Magneto.

Although “Graduation Day” is not quite a cliffhanger, it certainly invited questions as to what these characters might do next, with Xavier off-planet and Magneto at the helm. Again, that’s precisely where the new television show will pick things up, with Magneto serving as the unlikely new leader of the team.

Original showrunners Eric and Julia Lewald and original series director Larry Houston are on board as consultants for X-Men ’97. Beau DeMayo, who has worked on The Witcher and Moon Knight, serves as executive producer and writer. Almost all of the original voice actors will return, as well as some newcomers like Jennifer Hale and Holly Chou, whose roles have not yet been specified.

X-Men ’97 will debut on Disney Plus in fall 2023.

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