Marvel’s Brad Winderbaum Talks X-MEN ’97 Season 2 And Beau DeMayo’s Departure

As excitement builds ahead of Marvel’s New York Comic-Con panel, Brad Winderbaum, head of Marvel TV and Animation, shared fresh updates with Entertainment Weekly about what we can expect from the studio’s animated slate, including X-Men ’97.

According to Winderbaum, the animated series is now set to roll out on an annual basis! The show made a splash with its first season, and has already secured a loyal fan base eager to see what’s next.

With the departure of showrunner Beau DeMayo, fans have had questions about the direction moving forward. Winderbaum, however, is confident that the show is in good hands and emphasized the continuity behind the scenes.

“Well, first and foremost, it’s actually the entire creative team,” he said. “Same director, same producers, same cast, many of the same writers, and it’s standing on the shoulders of giants. One thing that makes X-Men ’97 work so well is that everybody’s rowing in exactly the same direction. Everyone that works on the show knows that original series inside and out. And we work very closely with Eric and Julia Lewald and Larry Houston [creators of X-Men: The Animated Series]. They’re here all the time reviewing material and talking to the artists. The second season feels very much a worthy successor to the first season.”

Season 1 left things on a major cliffhanger, with the arrival of Apocalypse and a cryptic hint at Gambit stepping into a darker, more ominous role. Winderbaum confirmed that these elements aren’t just window dressing, and they’ll be central to the upcoming storyline.

“That tease certainly matters and Apocalypse is a big part of season 2,” he said.

With Apocalypse now firmly in the picture, it seems X-Men ’97 is poised to dive deeper into the iconic X-Men mythology, delivering high-stakes drama that fans of the original series (and newcomers) can both enjoy.

DeMayo, who helped launch X-Men ’97 into eXcellence, has spoken candidly about his experiences with the show via social media, leading to public curiosity about his sudden departure. Winderbaum addressed the situation briefly.

“We’ve talked about this before. I’m grateful to Beau,” he said. “We launched this series together. I think he did excellent work. Frankly, I don’t really look at it or read any of it, so I don’t really know.”

While Winderbaum remained diplomatic, his comments suggest that Marvel is focused on moving forward with the same level of care and reverence that made the first season such a success.

With X-Men ’97 returning for what promises to be a bold second season, Marvel Animation is doubling down on nostalgia while pushing its stories into compelling new territory. If Winderbaum’s insights are any indication, we all have plenty to look forward to in the years ahead!

Source: Entertainment Weekly

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