X-Men ‘97 Showrunner Reportedly Fired One Week Before Premiere

X-Men 97 Wolverine and Gambit

X-Men ‘97 is set to premiere in a week, and it’s highly anticipated by both fans of the original X-Men animated series and by newcomers. In a strange situation, though, the show’s creator and showrunner seems to have been fired from the production.

The Hollywood Reporter has published a new report saying that Beau DeMayo, the writer, producer, and creator of X-Men ‘97, has been fired from the series and potentially Marvel as a whole. According to THR, DeMayo’s Marvel company email was deactivated and cast and crew were informed he would no longer be working on the project.

DeMayo had reportedly already written the second season of the series, and was set to start working on the third. He was also said to be involved in press events in the leadup to the series’ release on March 20, and was supposed to be attending events as soon as today.

X-Men ‘97 is a follow-up to 1992’s X-Men: The Animated series, which ran until 1997. The series was a smash hit and helped popularize the X-Men for a whole generation. It ended on a very sad note, with the death of Professor X, and the new series picks up immediately after, with the X-Men finding a way forward without their fearless leader.

The first trailer for X-Men ‘97 was pretty spectacular too, with some absolutely chilling moments from some of our favorite characters. Visually it also looks exactly like the original animated series, although it has been updated somewhat for a modern audience.

No reason has been given for DeMayo’s departure from the series, and the producer’s social media has been wiped clean in the wake of his removal. It’s not known what will happen with subsequent seasons of the show without DeMayo at the helm, either.

X-Men ‘97 will premiere exclusively on Disney+ on March 20, 2024.

Related: X-Men ‘97 #1 Celebrates The Animated Series With New Variant Cover