The Marvel Cinematic Universe is heading seamlessly into a new direction after The Infinity Saga, with new characters and stories being integrated within it. But, there are several other stories Marvel recently gained rights to explore after Disney’s acquisition of Fox Studios, which also includes X-Men, effectively canceling its future at Fox. Although Evan Peters’ appearance in WandaVision hinted at X-Men being merged into the MCU, it wasn’t quite the case. But with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Patrick Stewart may begin that process, reprising his role as Charles Xavier/Professor X in the film.
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There’s no straightforward telling on how X-Men will enter the vast MCU, but Marvel Studios has another project on the slate featuring the mutants. X-Men ‘97, announced in 2021, is an animated series based on the X-Men Comics and is the continuation of the X-Men: The Animated Series. Being one of the first X-Men projects to be produced under Marvel Studios, fans can’t stop but wonder if this will be a part of the MCU.
But, series writer Beau DeMayo has something to tease about this theory. In an interview with The Direct, DeMayo said:
The writer didn’t deny or accept the fans’ queries about the show being canon and just said the fans shall tune in to the show to point out. Marvel Studios is great at using fan theories, mysteries, and speculations for great marketing strategies. Instead of confirming anything, the studio execs and the cast members associated with it always end up sending fans into further dilemmas, which undoubtedly attracts more of them towards theaters and now, Disney+ subscriptions.
The one thing I can say towards that is, I know sometimes we say, No comment. They’re being obstinate. I’m gonna go with no comment here because part of the surprise will be finding that out when you experience the show.
And probably that’s the case with DeMayo’s take on fans’ speculations, using their interest in his show’s marketing to upscale the hype for it.
Can X-Men ‘97 Become MCU Canon?
Marvel/Disney
Earlier, What If…? was announced as an anthology, without any confirmation of its connection to the MCU. But, as it turned out, it was Marvel’s way of experimenting with multiversal stories and character variants. The show’s final two episodes broke the anthology format of the show and became canon to the MCU. Now, one of those characters, Captain Carter, Peggy’s iteration of Captain America is making her live-action debut in Multiverse of Madness.
So, Marvel always has a chance to make the show canon to the MCU. It would allow Marvel to establish Mutants’ connection to the Marvel Multiverse in retrospect. And since it doesn’t matter if the format is live-action or animation, Marvel may later adapt the stories and characters from X-Men ‘97 in live-action MCU films and original series. Moreover, DeMayo has recently worked on the MCU series Moon Knight, making him aware of where MCU is headed further.
But there’s a catch. The series, though produced by Marvel Studios, hasn’t confirmed the involvement of Kevin Feige in the project. Feige has always maintained a primary position in creative decision-making for MCU projects. In fact, he has currently held the status of Marvel Television productions and the Netflix originals in limbo ever since the division was merged with his Marvel Studios. That has further led to speculations that Feige probably wants those characters to continue their arc per his vision for the MCU.
So, the chances of X-Men ‘97 remain fifty-fifty. If Marvel announces that Feige is involved in the production in the coming months, then the inclination would go towards the idea of the show being canon to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But until such official confirmation, watch the old series to get a hold of what you’re getting into, and stay tuned to find more about X-Men ‘97.
