As per The Hollywood Reporter, Marvel Studios recently terminated its relationship with Beau DeMayo, the creative force behind the animated series, ‘X-Men ’97.’
The news of DeMayo’s firing was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter, revealing that the decision was made suddenly, with no clear explanation provided. Following the announcement, DeMayo deactivated his Instagram account, where he actively interacted with fans and shared updates on the series. At the time of its deletion, his account had over 30,000 followers.
Beau DeMayo is known for his work on other Marvel projects, including the ‘Moon Knight’ series and the upcoming ‘Blade’ reboot. He was not only the creator but also served as the executive producer and writer for the first two seasons of ‘X-Men ’97. His contributions helped revive the 1990s ‘X-Men: The Animated Series’ to continue the story where it left off.
Despite the show being renewed for a second season and DeMayo’s plans for a potential third, Marvel Studios remained silent on the reasons for his abrupt departure. Fans are now questioning the timing and reasons behind such a change, which came just a week before the series’ debut on Disney+ on March 20, 2024.
DeMayo Isn’t the First One Fired By Marvel
This is not the first high-profile exit from the Disney-owned studio in recent times. Last year, Victoria Alonso, Marvel’s president of physical production, post-production, VFX, and animation, was also suddenly fired for reportedly violating company policies.
DeMayo was pretty enthusiastic about the ‘X-Men ’97’ project, sharing his excitement over the series’ renewal for a second season at last year’s San Diego Comic-Con:
“We just put together kind of an internal thing for the [Marvel and Disney executives], actually giving them a taste of what the show is. And it’s weird watching your heroes freak out at something you’re doing. The size and scope of something like this and sending a love letter to what [original series director] Larry [Houston] and [‘X-Men: The Animated Series’ creators Eric and Julia Lewald] did is huge.”
‘X-Men ’97’ promised to be a nostalgic return for fans of the original series due to its marketing campaign. You can see the promotional posters for the series here.
As of now, Marvel Studios has not commented on DeMayo’s firing nor announced a replacement. This raises questions about the future of ‘X-Men ’97’ and its direction without its original creator at the helm. Despite the setback, the series is still scheduled to premiere as planned.
