Fans waiting for the upcoming X-Men ’97 animated series may feel a bit dismayed after the announcement of its release date being pushed back a little further to early 2024. Disney+ originally planned for a fall 2023 debut, but due to unexpected circumstances, the show will most likely arrive in the following year.
Back in April 2023, showrunner Beau DeMayo asked fans to remain patient as they waited for the confirmation of the reboot’s release. In the following month, however, it was revealed that the series had been delayed due to pre-registration of United States copyright for Episode 1, which recorded January 3, 2024 as its publication date.
X-Men ’97 Ditches Original 90s Animation Style For A Modern 3D Version
While fans still process the disappointing update from Disney+ and the X-Men ’97 series, industry scooper CanWeGetSomeToast shared a shocking news regarding the show. In a recent tweet, the user revealed:
“X-Men ‘97 moved from Fall 2023 to Early 2024. For those expecting it to be 2D animation like the original, sorry to burst your bubble. Expect it to be like What If’s 3D animation.”
A source also told The Hollywood Reporter that the new project will serve “as a retro and a love letter to the original” X-Men: The Animated Series. There are scarce details about the plot at the moment, but fans seemed quite divisive after discovering the change in the animation style. The Twitter scooper also added:
“Not a big deal since X-Men TAS wasn’t known for its crazy animation anyways. The character models look way better than What If because they’re based on 2D designs instead of actors’ likeness. Anime inspiration still holds true.”
RELATED: ‘They doing Cyclops dirty’: Marvel’s X-Men ’97 Will Have Reportedly Have Magneto As Its Leader
As Disney promises a “wild” ride for the upcoming reboot, it will also feature some of its original voice talents. Lenore Zann, who voiced Rogue in X-Men ’97, teased fans via Toonado:
“As usual, Rogue will go through a lot in X-Men ‘97. Like me, she’s a passionate woman who can’t help wearing her heart on her sleeve. So, buckle up for a wild ride!”
The delay in the show’s release date and the shift to 3D animation have immensely stirred a buzz among fans, and only time will tell if the long wait will be worth it.
X-Men ’97 Showrunner Teases Fans With Pilot Episode Synopsis
Meanwhile, X-Men ‘97 executive producer Beau DeMayo and supervising producer Jake Castorena’s interview with Marvel’s Ryan Penagos during the San Diego Comic-Con 2023 gave fans a hint on what they could expect from the rebooted series:
“We showed a clip from the first episode that shows the X-Men going off [on] a mission to confront a new Sentinel threat… And mid-mission, they are unexpectedly attacked and have to use their Danger Room practice skills to save themselves.”
So, while it may take a bit longer for the show to hit the Disney+ platform and fans may feel a bit nostalgic for the original 1990s two-dimensional version, this short synopsis of the pilot episode can hopefully excite MCU fans, as well as find solace and comfort from the fact that Season 2 is currently in development.
Sources: Twitter, THR, Toonado, Marvel
