X-MEN ’97 writer Beau Demayo on the return of X-Men in animation.

Marvel Studios’ upcoming X-Men: The Animated Series revival titled X-MEN ’97 is deep in production for release next year on Disney+. The show’s head writer Beau Demayo (Moon Knight) recently spoke with The Direct about reviving the 1992-1997 show for modern audiences.

“For me, it made sense once I met [Julia and Eric] Lewald and Larry Houston, who were the creators and directors of the original series, who are literally the best people you could possibly imagine, is they are so earnest and sincere as people,” said Demayo. “When you watch the series, I think what we remember about, is that there is such an earnestness to all of the characters. Everyone’s emotions are on full display. Everyone is sincere, and it is just—when you meet the Lewalds, and Larry, it’s just like, ‘oh, I totally get it.’

“And so I think the challenge to me was honoring that earnestness, that emotional sincerity in the show where it wasn’t just about the big bad of the day. That was almost, in some cases, an afterthought. It was really about the relationship of this found family, and how they cared about each other and had disagreements. And I always just come back whenever we’re talking in the writer’s room, or we’re talking to the directors, it’s just like, we have to have earnest emotion in every scene. Cause I really do think that was the secret sauce to the original series.”

The world has changed in many aspects since the original show’s run, and OG fans are now adults. How does Demayo plan on updating the series to reflect that?

“I don’t know if improve would be a word I would use. I think that show is amazing in so many different ways. I think what I would say is that the generation who grew up watching that show, we have grown up, and the world is a very different place than when that show was made. And so, it is more a question of, what does that show look like knowing what we know now? And how it looks like, in today’s world, with everything that has changed, and everything that hasn’t changed, sadly—in our world. That is where I believe my focus has been as a storyteller, has really been that.”

Source: The Direct