WithX-Men ‘97’s premiere around the corner, fans will finally get the long-awaited continuation ofX-Men: The Animated Seriesto television screens across the world. Thefirst official trailer promised plenty of action from Marvel’s mighty mutants, as well as a bold new status quo. But the status quo being shaken up isn’t the only big change marked byX-Men ‘97. For starters, it is the first Marvel project to be labeled under the Marvel Animation banner rather than the Marvel Studios banner. ShowrunnerBeau DeMayofurther clarified on Instagram thatX-Men ‘97will have no official ties to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “We are our own thing,” DeMayo said when asked how the project connects to the MCU.
This is big news for a number of reasons. Up to this point, the Marvel-themed projects from Disney+ have been official extensions of the MCU. EvenWhat If…?, the first animated series from Marvel Studios, falls under this banner.X-Men ‘97being separate from the MCU isn’t a harbinger of doom, it’s the first step of the"quiet retooling" the studio is currently undergoing.X-Men ‘97being a standalone project is a good thing, as it fleshes out its own universeand could prove to be the entry point for fans both old and new.
A band of mutants use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them; they’re challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future.
‘X-Men ‘97’ Is Already Part of Its Own Universe
WhenX-Men ‘97returns, it won’t just be continuing the story ofX-Men: The Animated Seriesbut also reviving an animated version of the Marvel Universe.This animated universe is designated Earth-92131, and also grew to includeSpider-Man: The Animated Series. This led to the two series crossing over in theSpider-Man: The Animated Seriesepisodes “The Mutant Agenda” and “Mutants’ Revenge.” As Spider-Man (Christopher Daniel Barnes) slowly starts to lose his powers, he seeks the help of the X-Men, which leads to Spidey and the Beast (George Buza) being kidnapped by anti-mutant scientist Herbert Langdon (David Warner).
Spider-Man: The Animated SeriesandX-Men: The Animated Serieswould go on to feature other heroes throughout their respective runs. Like in the comics, Rogue gained her powers of super strength and flight from Carol Danvers. It’s implied that Gambit encountered Ghost Rider at one point, and duringX-Men: The Animated Series’ adaptation of “The Dark Phoenix Saga"Doctor Strange and Captain Britainare shown reacting to Jean Grey becoming the Dark Phoenix.
Marvel Missed Out on James Cameron’s ‘X-Men’ Movie
Stan Lee enticed the director with a certain wall-crawling web-slinger.
Likewise,Spider-Man: The Animated Seriesfeatured heroes like Captain America and Iron Manwhile eventually doing its own take on the legendarySecret Warsstoryline. Continuing this universe would be a great chance to see the Earth-92131 versions of other heroes, or another Spider-Man crossover as the Daily Bugle (featuring a byline from Spider-Man’s alter ego Peter Parker) is shown in theX-Men ‘97universe. It would also provide an alternative to fans who aren’t sure about entering into the MCU or need a break from its massive storyline. A great comparison would be howStar Wars Visionsremains its own distinct entitywhile also utilizing the iconography from a galaxy far, far away.
‘X-Men ‘97’ Could Be Marvel’s Chance To Match DC In The Animation Game
X-Men ‘97doesn’t just represent a rebirth of one animated universe, however.It could be the launchpad for a new animated renaissance at Marvel, an area the House of Ideas has often flirted with. In the wake ofX-Men: The Animated SeriesandSpider-Man: The Animated Seriesthere have been quite a few animated Marvel shows that’ve stood out. Chief among them isX-Men: Evolution, which reintroduced the Children of the Atom to a new generation;The Spectacular Spider-Man, which only further cemented thatSpider-Man and animation are a match made in heaven; andThe Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, which introduced the Avengers to the world prior to their big screen debut. Despite all of these series being beloved, Marvel hasn’t quite managed to match its rival DC Comics when it comes to animation.X-Men ‘97could be the key to fixing that.
In fact, Marvel Animation is looking to branch out into other projects.Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man(formerly titledSpider-Man: Freshman Year) will feature a Peter Parker who’s just starting out, and will receive help from Norman Osborn (aka his longtime foe the Green Goblin).Eyes of Wakandaare also on the docket and will trace the history of the Black Panther’s kingdom. IfX-Men ‘97is the success it’s gearing up to be, it will throw open a whole new set of doors for Marvel – no MCU tethers necessary.
X-Men ‘97premieres on Disney+ on March 20, whileX-Men: The Animated Seriesis available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.
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