We’ve known for some time now that the MCU’s X-Men are coming, and recently, the Marvel fandom was thrown into a frenzy when rumors and speculation about Neve Campbell joining the cast of the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday as a famous mutant hit the web. Whispers online suggested she’d been tapped to play none other than Polaris, the mutant daughter of Magneto, in the upcoming Marvel movie. The rumor caught fire, but now X-Men ‘97’s boss has revealed the truth.
Beau DeMayo, former showrunner of X-Men '97, took to X (formerly Twitter) to set the record straight. Alongside some fantastic Polaris artwork and a Neve Campbell photo, he posted.
Incorrect. I cast her as Polaris in Season 2 of #xmen97. She does amazing work bringing something new, and felt right to have a '90s icon pick up where Lorna’s story was left in 'Cold Comfort.' She’s got some thoughts on Genosha.
So there it is: Neve Campbell is playing Polaris—but in X-Men '97, not the live-action MCU. She joins the animated revival of the beloved ’90s series, now streaming with a Disney+ subscription, widely regarded as one of the best animated shows of its era. DeMayo’s post confirms her role and is a tease for Season 2, marking the return of Lorna Dane, aka Polaris, last seen in the original episode “Cold Comfort.”
For longtime fans of the character, this is still big news. Polaris is a complicated, emotionally layered figure in X-Men lore, often caught between her allegiance to mutantkind and her fraught relationship with her father, Magneto. The idea of Campbell—a '90s icon in her own right thanks to Scream and Party of Five—stepping into the role brings a full-circle nostalgia that fits perfectly with X-Men '97's retro-modern tone.
DeMayo's comment about Genosha hints at deeper plotlines ahead. In Season 1 of the revival series, Genosha was shockingly destroyed in a devastating Sentinel attack, resulting in mass casualties, including the apparent deaths of Magneto and Gambit. The emotional toll was heavy: Jean caught Cyclops kissing Madelyn Pryor on the astral plane, then kissed Wolverine herself. Rogue broke up with Gambit and joined Magneto to co-lead the newly recognized mutant nation, only to watch it fall in flames. It was a gut punch of an episode, and one that left a lot of fans (myself included) reeling.
Polaris having "thoughts on Genosha" could mean she’s coming in to confront or reflect on that loss, which opens the door to some weighty and cathartic storytelling. Given the Wild Things actress’ talent for grounded, emotionally charged performances, fans can expect her to do more than just deliver cool one-liners and magnetic shockwaves.
As for Avengers: Doomsday, Neve Campbell isn’t part of the live-action roster… at least not yet. Sure, the MCU has pulled in big names and is bringing the X-Men on board, but, for now, we have to put this rumor to rest officially. But for fans of the Scream franchise star and Polaris, the animated series might finally give her the recognition she deserves. Who knows, maybe in some crazy multiverse, we'll get to see the former Party of Five star suit up for a live-action MCU role. Stranger things have happened!
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