The X-Men Are Back! ‘X-Men ’97’ Officially Debuts on Disney+
The X-Men are officially back!
X-Men ’97, the long-awaited revival of X-Men: The Animated Series, premiered today on Disney+, and so far, reviews have been glowing.
Photo: Marvel
According to Marvel Studios Head of TV, Streaming, and Animation Brad Winderbaum, Marvel head Kevin Feige had two prerequisites for agreeing to revive the classic animated series: he wanted the original cast to return and use the show’s iconic theme song.
According to Winderbaum, both conditions were “the easiest thing in the world.”
Photo: Marvel Studios
“Everyone was thrilled to come back,” said Winderbaum, “and we were thrilled to have them back.”
Continuing The X-Men’s Story
X-Men ’97 is not simply a reboot of the 1990s animated X-Men series. It is a continuation.
The series will pick up where the iconic 90s cartoon ended, with the X-Men bereft of their leader, Professor Charles Xavier, and facing an increasingly hostile world.
Photo: Marvel
Even though Xavier is no longer with the team, “his message and influence loom large,” said Winderbaum.
“Much of the story in those early episodes is about characters wrestling with how to fulfill Xavier’s dream of coexistence in his absence,” Winderbaum explained. “Scott [Cyclops] certainly struggles with that. Magneto certainly struggles with that, and everyone’s got a different point of view on how to how to best continue his legacy.”
Why Bring ‘X-Men: The Animated Series’ Back Now?
Ever since X-Men: The Animated Series went off the air in 1997, fans have been clamoring for a revival of the series. So, what did Marvel Studios decide to bring the iconic show back now?
Photo: Marvel
“Because it was the first opportunity we had to do it,” quipped Winderbaum.
Following the success of What If…?, Marvel wanted to continue to expand its animation offerings. A revival of X-Men: The Animated Series was a no-brainer for Winderbaum and his team.
Photo: Marvel
“The original X-Men: The Animated Series has been secretly influential for so many creators of our generation,” voiced Winderbaum. “It comes up all the time, comes up as often as Star Wars comes up if you were born at a certain time.”
Marvel Never Considered Making a “Modern” Series
Interestingly, Marvel never considered making a “modern” X-Men animated series.
Photo: Marvel
The plan was never going to be ‘Let’s make a new X-Men show that takes place in 2024, and we’re going to redesign them and make them cool for today,” Winderbaum explained.
Instead, the plan was always to “make it feel like new, even though it’s old. It’s fun to have superhero stories told in a time before the Internet, before cellphones. It’s just a different rulebook that the players have to abide by.”
“We spent all of our time and all of our creative effort trying to emulate our memory of this thing, which is why it was so important not only to get the cast back, but to get [original series co-creator] Eric Lewald back and [original series director] Larry Houston back to tell us how the original show was made and to help us come up with our parameters,” said Winderbaum.
X-Men ’97 is now streaming on Disney+.
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