‘X-Men ’97’ Creator Beau DeMayo Fired Ahead of Disney+ Series Premiere
Beau DeMayo, the showrunner and executive producer behind Disney+’s upcoming animated series “X-Men ’97,” has been fired ahead of the March 20 premiere, Variety has confirmed.
DeMayo had completed work on Seasons 1 and 2 of “X-Men ’97” ahead of his exit. He will not attend the March 13 Hollywood premiere for the show. His Instagram account, on which he had been previewing artwork and answering fan questions about “X-Men ’97,” has also been deleted.
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He wrote and produced “X-Men ’97,” which is a continuation of the popular “X-Men: The Animated Series” that aired on Fox Kids in the ’90s. It is unclear why DeMayo was fired from “X-Men ’97” so close to the premiere, but he will no longer promote the show or be involved with future seasons.
“He did excellent work writing Seasons 1 and 2, and I can’t wait for fans to see the series,” executive producer Brad Winderbaum told Variety. “The entire team came together to create a revival worthy of the X-Men’s 60-year legacy. From Stan and Jack, to Claremont, to the Lewalds, we all truly were standing on the shoulders of giants.”
DeMayo also wrote on the fellow Marvel and Disney+ series “Moon Knight,” starring Oscar Isaac, and the upcoming feature film “Blade,” starring Mahershala Ali. His other credits include “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” Netflix’s live-action “The Witcher” starring Henry Cavill, the animated film “The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf” and two animated “League of Legends” shorts, “Absolution” and “Before Dawn.”
Several original cast members of “X-Men: The Animated Series” are returning for “X-Men ’97” more than 30 years after the series finale. The new show picks up where the ’90s Saturday morning cartoon ended: Professor Charles Xavier is believed to be dead, and his arch rival Magneto has assumed control of his last will and testament. The X-Men, comprised of Wolverine, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm, Jubilee, Beast, Gambit, Morph, Bishop and more, must also battle new foes in a world that fears them.
Hollywood Reporter first broke the news.
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