X-Men '97

X-Men '97 is an American animated television series created by Beau DeMayo for the streaming service Disney+, based on the Marvel Comics superhero team the X-Men. It is a revival of X-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997) produced by Marvel Studios Animation, and continues the story of the X-Men from the earlier series. DeMayo was head writer for the first two seasons and Matthew Chauncey took over for the third, with Jake Castorena as supervising director.

Ray Chase, Jennifer Hale, Alison Sealy-Smith, Cal Dodd, J. P. Karliak, Lenore Zann, George Buza, A. J. LoCascio, Holly Chou, Isaac Robinson-Smith, Matthew Waterson, Ross Marquand, and Adrian Hough star as members of the X-Men. Sealy-Smith, Dodd, Zann, Buza, and Hough reprised their roles from the original series, as did Christopher Britton. Original series stars Catherine Disher, Chris Potter, Alyson Court, Lawrence Bayne, and Ron Rubin returned to voice new characters.

The revival was first discussed in June 2019 and formally announced in November 2021, with DeMayo and Castorena attached. Chase Conley and Emi Yonemura also directed episodes. The series is the first X-Men project from Marvel Studios since the company regained the film and television rights to the characters. Animation was provided by Studio Mir and Tiger Animation, and is a modernized version of the original series' style. DeMayo was fired as head writer in March 2024 after completing work on the first two seasons. Chauncey was hired to write the third season in July 2024.

X-Men '97 premiered on March 20, 2024, with its first two episodes. The rest of the ten-episode first season was released weekly until May 15. It received critical acclaim and various accolades. The second season is scheduled to premiere in 2026. A third is in development.

X-Men '97 continues the story of X-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997). In both series, mutants are people born with superhuman abilities that generally manifest during puberty. The X-Men are a team of mutant superheroes founded by Professor Charles Xavier to protect mutants and humans alike. At the end of The Animated Series, Xavier nearly dies in an assassination attempt and is taken to space to be healed by the alien Shi'ar Empire. X-Men '97 begins a year later and sees the X-Men facing new challenges without Xavier, under the leadership of their former adversary Magneto. As with the original series, X-Men '97 combines action, soap opera-style drama, and exploration of serious topics.

Recurring guests in the first season include Gui Agustini as Roberto da Costa / Sunspot, a young mutant rescued by the X-Men who can channel solar energy; Catherine Disher—who voiced Jean Grey in the original series—as Dr. Valerie Cooper, a United Nations official; Gavin Hammon as Sentinel creator Dr. Bolivar Trask, replacing original voice actor Brett Halsey, as well as Shi'ar chancellor Lord Araki; Eric Bauza as the Master Mold supercomputer and mutant-hunting Sentinels, replacing original voice actor David Fox who died in 2021; Donna Jay Fulks as news reporter Trish Tilby, as well as the mutants Tommy and Amelia Voght; Christopher Britton as Dr. Nathaniel Essex / Mister Sinister, a scientist from Victorian era-London who has enhanced himself using mutant DNA, reprising his role from the original series; Gil Birmingham as Forge, a mutant who can invent advanced technology, replacing original voice actor Marc Strange; Christine Uhebe as Roberto's mother Nina da Costa; Chris Potter—who voiced Gambit in the original series—as Nathan Summers / Cable, the son of Cyclops and Madelyne Pryor who was taken to the future as an infant after being infected with a techno-organic virus; Theo James as Bastion, the anti-mutant leader of OZT, a human-machine hybrid created by Nimrod whose parents were background characters in the original series episode "One Man's Worth"; and Ron Rubin—who voiced Morph in the original series—as U.S. president Robert Kelly, replacing original voice actor Len Carlson, who died in 2006.

Actors who voice multiple characters include Todd Haberkorn, who voices former government agent Henry Peter Gyrich who attempted to assassinate Xavier, replacing original voice actor Barry Flatman; and Ronan the Accuser, a high-ranking member of the Kree Empire. David Errigo Jr. voices Leech, a young Morlock who can nullify other mutants' powers, replacing original voice actor John Stocker; Mojo, an interdimensional media mogul from the Mojoverse, replacing original voice actor Peter Wildman; Sean Cassidy / Banshee, an Irish mutant with a sonic scream who serves on the council of Genosha, replacing original actor Jeremy Ratchford; and Gladiator, the Strontian leader of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard. Courtenay Taylor voices Callisto, the leader of the Morlocks, replacing original voice actor Susan Roman; and Illyana Rasputina / Magik / Darkchylde, a mutant sorcerer, replacing original voice actor Tara Strong. Martha Marion voices Emma Frost, a former member of the Inner Circle Club who serves on the council of Genosha, replacing original voice actor Tracey Moore; and Dr. Moira MacTaggert, a Scottish geneticist who serves on the council of Genosha, replacing original voice actor Lally Cadeau. Kari Wahlgren voices young Bastion, who is called Sebastian, and his mother Rose.

Other guest stars include Lawrence Bayne—who voiced Cable in the original series—as Carl Denti / X-Cutioner, leader of the anti-mutant group Friends of Humanity; Kimberly Woods as a vision of Bishop's younger sister Shard, replacing original voice actor Kay Tremblay; Abby Trott as Spiral, Mojo's assistant, replacing original voice actor Cynthia Belliveau; Travis Willingham as Sebastian Shaw, a former member of the Inner Circle Club who serves on the council of Genosha, replacing original voice actor David Bryant; Morla Gorrondonna as Lilandra Neramani, the empress of the Shi'ar Empire, replacing original voice actor Camilla Scott; Cari Kabinoff as Lilandra's sister Deathbird; Jeff Bennett as Ford, the da Costa family's butler; Anjali Bhimani as Bastion's assistant Daria; Rama Vallury as Baron Zemo, a member of OZT; Gates McFadden as Rachel Summers / Mother Askani, leader of the Askani Clan in a desolate future; and Adetokumboh M'Cormack as En Sabah Nur, a younger version of Apocalypse living in Ancient Egypt. Additionally, Josh Keaton and Michael Patrick McGill reprise their respective roles as Steve Rogers / Captain America and Thunderbolt Ross from the series What If...? (2021–2024); Bayne voiced Captain America in the original series.

In addition to Callisto, Leech, and Tommy, the Morlocks Ape and Erg are seen. Characters that appear in Genosha include Glob Herman, Pixie, Nature Girl, Gentle, Multiple Man, Exodus, Dazzler, Boom Boom, Squid-Boy, Marrow, Blob, Forearm, Angel Salvadore, Mimic, Psylocke, Cipher, Frenzy, and members of the Savage Land Mutates. Other characters that make non-speaking appearances in the first season include Cyclops's brother Vulcan who is a member of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard; Alpha Flight members Northstar, Puck, and Aurora; Japanese mutant Silver Samurai; the Russian superhero team Winter Guard which includes the mutants Omega Red and Darkstar alongside Crimson Dynamo; Iron Man from the 1990s series of the same name; the magic-wielding superhero Doctor Strange; New York heroes Daredevil, Cloak, and Dagger; and the characters Peter Parker / Spider-Man, Mary Jane Watson, and Flash Thompson from the animated series Spider-Man (1994–1998), revealing that Spider-Man has found Mary Jane following the events of that series' finale. Magneto sees a vision of his children Wanda Maximoff / Scarlet Witch, Pietro Maximoff / Quicksilver, and Lorna Dane / Polaris, while alternate versions of Polaris and Rachel Summers are seen in the future that Cable is trying to prevent.

Characters that are set to appear in the second season include Sabretooth, Lady Deathstrike, Havok, Mariko, Polaris, and Danger.

Larry Houston, the producer and director of X-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997), said in June 2019 that he and that series' creative team were discussing a potential revival with Disney. They wanted to continue the story from where the original series ended. Disney subsidiary Marvel Studios was developing their first animated series, What If...? (2021–2024), and executives began discussing what their next animated project could be. The first idea considered was a revival of X-Men: The Animated Series, which was suggested by Brad Winderbaum. The head of streaming, television, and animation at Marvel Studios, Winderbaum was a fan of the series, and said several filmmakers who had met with Marvel Studios in the past had cited that series as a touchstone. In November 2020, Beau DeMayo was asked to present a pitch for the revival after working as a writer for Marvel Studios' live-action Disney+ miniseries Moon Knight (2022). Jeff Trammell also presented a pitch for the revival, but his desire to create an original story rather than continue the narrative from X-Men: The Animated Series led to Marvel Studios suggesting he present a pitch for their Spider-Man animated series, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (2025–present), instead.

By June 2021, Marvel Studios Animation was developing a slate of at least three series in addition to What If...? that, as of August 2021, were in various stages of development and not expected to be released until 2023. In November, one of these was announced to be X-Men '97, a revival and continuation of X-Men: The Animated Series. Dana Vasquez-Eberhardt, VP of animation at Marvel Studios, said many of the people involved with the revival were fans of the 1990s series and "knew exactly" what the continuation should be. DeMayo was announced as head writer and executive producer, with Jake Castorena as supervising director and Charley Feldman as supervising producer. Houston and the original series' showrunners, Eric and Julia Lewald, were consulting on the revival, assisting with any "red flags" that arose and suggesting things they would like to see. The trio were contacted by Winderbaum shortly after the revival series entered development, and were excited that Marvel chose to make a direct continuation of their series. The Lewalds attributed Disney and Marvel Studios' fast-tracking of the revival to the success of the original series streaming on Disney+ and the book X-Men: The Art and Making of The Animated Series (2020). Castorena, Chase Conley, and Emi Yonemura directed episodes of the first season. Marvel Studios' Winderbaum, Kevin Feige, Louis D'Esposito, and Victoria Alonso also served as executive producers.