TV show revivals have become more commonplace in recent years, but there’s an upcoming Marvel TV show that’s really going to scratch that nostalgic itch for many people. X-Men ’97 is reviving the continuity of X-Men: The Animated Series, which aired from 1992 to 1997. However, this show, which is already getting a lot of positive reception, didn’t get an instant green light from the higher-ups at Marvel. As Brad Winderbaum, one of the executive producers, explained to CinemaBlend, there were two things that “needed” to happen before this series streaming exclusively to Disney+ subscribers moved forward.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Winderbaum, who’s also Marvel Studios’ Head of TV, Streaming, and Animation, ahead of X-Men ’97’s debut on Disney+, and the first thing I asked was what the thought process was behind revisiting the X-Men: The Animated Series world rather than just creating a brand-new X-Men show. He responded:
Basically, it really comes down to our love of the original animated series. We had just completed What If… ?. It was a successfully show, we loved it, and it opened the door for us to make more animated shows, and it was the first thing I pitched, was to revive the OG show. And Kevin [Feige] was so excited about the idea. And we knew there were two things we needed if we were going to revive it. One was the original cast, and one was the song, and if we can get those things, we had a shot at actually bringing this thing back to life, and luckily we were able to do both.
It’s admirable that Marvel was so willing to bring back as many people from the original cast of X-Men: The Animated Series as possible. It would have been east enough to just recast all the roles with soundalikes to boast newer talent, and to be sure, that has happened, with it being specifically necessary for characters like Cyclops and Magneto given the deaths of their original actors. But even when these recastings have happened, these original actors are now playing different characters, so they can continue contributing to the legacy of this corner of the Marvel media landscape. As for the theme song, well, I know me and Winderbaum aren’t alone in thinking it’s still a banger after more than three decades, so it’s no wonder that was also a must-have.
Going back to the actors, some examples of X-Men ’97 recasting past talent include Alyson Court, who originally voiced Jubilee, now voicing Abcissa, and Ron Rubin, who voiced Morph, now voicing President Robert Kelly. When I asked Brad Winderbaum why it was so important to still keep these older actors involved with the new show, here’s what he had to say while providing additional examples:
I think the guiding principle of this show being just reviving something that is so personal to every single member of the creative team, as well as the audience, means that honestly, we wanted as much DNA from the original show involved in the revival as we possibly could. And it’s 30 years ago, so people’s voices change over time, but they’re still great actors. Chris Potter, who was an awesome Gambit, is, this might be a spoiler, an even more awesome Cable. Catherine Disher, who played Jean in the OG show, plays Val Cooper now, and frankly, just because her performance is so good, that character just grows and grows as the series goes on. So it’s thrilling to be able to work with these people, and every little bit of that original magic that we could fold into the revival just made the show better.
That returning lineup will undoubtedly help with drawing in viewers of X-Men: The Animated Series who’d like to return to this corner of the Marvel multiverse goes, assuming they weren’t on board for X-Men ’97 already. As far as new talent goes, the notable recruits include Ray Chase as Cyclops, Jennifer Hale as Jean Grey, Holly Chau as Jubilee, A.J. LoCascio as Gambit, Matthew Waterston as Magneto, J.P. Karla as Morph, Isaac Robinson-Smith as Bishop and Ross Marquand as Professor X. Beau DeMayo served as showrunner, but he and Marvel Studios recently “parted ways.”
The first two episodes of X-Men ’97 premiere this Wednesday on Disney+, and the remaining eight episodes of the season will be released on a weekly basis through to May 15. Along with the series also already being renewed for Season 2, Season 3 is in development. While we wait to see if it does indeed join the lineup of best Disney+ TV shows, browse through the 2024 TV schedule to earn what else is premiering soon.
