Marvel Animation Boss Talks Possible SPIDER-MAN '98 Revival And A Shared Animated Universe After X-MEN '97

Marvel Animation Boss Talks Possible SPIDER-MAN '98 Revival And A Shared Animated Universe After X-MEN '97

Marvel Animation's Brad Winderbaum talks about Spider-Man's surprise appearance in X-Men '97, whether that's leading to another revival, and the chances of a shared animated universe for these characters.

By JoshWilding - May 20, 2024 10:05 AM EST
Filed Under: Spider-Man (Animated)
Source: Screen Rant (via Toonado.com)

In the first chapter of X-Men '97's epic three-part "Tolerance Is Extinction" finale, we were reunited with the wall-crawler from Spider-Man: The Animated Series. The show ran from 1994 to 1998, and wrapped up on an open-ended note, so just seeing him again felt like a very big deal. 

However, the finale brought an even bigger surprise when we learned that Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson had been reunited. Needless to say, none of us expected X-Men '97 to resolve a decades-old cliffhanger, but we now know the hero managed to track her down after she was lost in the Multiverse. 

In an interview with Screen Rant (via Toonado.com), Marvel Studios Head of TV, Streaming, and Animation, Brad Winderbaum touched on the excitement surrounding a moment many fans hope is setting the stage for a Spider-Man '98 revival on Disney+.

"It is amazing to see them back on screen together, I wish we could tell that whole adventure with Madame Web and figure out how exactly he did it!" the executive explained. "Maybe one day, we as fanboys could certainly dream."

"There is always potential, right? I don't want to close the door on anything. But I think that for now, for the foreseeable future, X-Men 97 will own the 90s and how much we bring in guest stars or tell stories from other Marvel characters from that era is TBD, but it will be seen through that lens of the X-Men," Winderbaum added. 

While a Spider-Man: The Animated Series revival isn't necessarily happening right now, this and other cameos essentially confirm that all the Marvel animated shows from that decade took place on the same Earth. 

As for whether this means we're getting a new animated shared world, the producer added, "Well, I think to me, X-Men '97 is the window into the 90s and into that universe. We can see how much that window expands over time perhaps. But there is a value to focusing on that era because it unlocks you from any other show."

"You get to explore this universe from this one perspective, which is basically what every episode of What If...? does to a certain degree," Winderbaum continues. "But those are one-and-done ones, an anthology, this is actually a universe that gets to exist for multiple seasons, which is one of the things most exciting about it."

We'll see what the future holds, but with multiple seasons planned for X-Men '97, there are bound to be more crossover opportunities down the line. Next time, we're hoping Christopher Daniel Barnes is enlisted to lend his voice to the web-slinger...

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marvel72
marvel72 - 5/20/2024, 10:39 AM
Gotta be careful a shared animated universe could end up being better than the live action universe.
Vigor
Vigor - 5/20/2024, 10:42 AM
They wouldn't cannibalize their freshman year spiderman show with another animated spiderman show on the same network.
I like the idea of seeing these things through the eyes of the xmen instead. We can even have an avengers vs xmen but from the xmen perspective. Kind of making the avengers the antagonists
Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 5/20/2024, 10:47 AM
Bo elmayo
kazuma
kazuma - 5/20/2024, 10:50 AM
stop with the shared universe crap
supermanrex
supermanrex - 5/20/2024, 11:09 AM
@kazuma - comics medium is based on shared universe. why would the tv and movie medium stray from that.
Nightwing1015
Nightwing1015 - 5/20/2024, 11:09 AM
@kazuma - Its been a shared universe since these shows were on air in the 90s
kazuma
kazuma - 5/20/2024, 11:56 AM
@supermanrex - Because comics actually do it good.
kazuma
kazuma - 5/20/2024, 11:58 AM
@Nightwing1015 - They were all in the same universe but they weren't all trying to tell a narrative together. If they want them to stay in the same universe the fine. But I know Marvel will try to twist it into some bigger combination like the MCU and What-If. Just let things do their own thing without forcing them into something they're not.
supermanrex
supermanrex - 5/20/2024, 12:16 PM
@kazuma - i agree comics do shared universes good. but that's if they pay attention and honor continuity.
HashTagSwagg
HashTagSwagg - 5/20/2024, 10:52 AM
Seeing Spider-man, Cap and those other cameo's didn't scream spin off, felt more like early set up for the Onslaught stuff.
marvel72
marvel72 - 5/20/2024, 10:54 AM
@HashTagSwagg - I don't think we'll see Onslaught until after Apocalypse.
Amuro
Amuro - 5/20/2024, 10:58 AM
They could try and do both shows.

Your Friendly Neighboorhood Spider-man is clearly a series for the MCU fans, something which would certainly appeal to a large audience but which would also become very divise to some comic book fans who are becoming increasingly tired of the MCU influence in other medias (animated shows, video games) as of late.

Spider-man '98 would certainly appeal more to comic book fans and the grown-up audience of the original animated series.
Arthorious
Arthorious - 5/20/2024, 11:10 AM
Wouldn’t mind seeing a Captain America show.
supermanrex
supermanrex - 5/20/2024, 11:15 AM
i think they should do spider man 98 continuation for the obvious win. if they expand i would say do an avengers cartoon in the 90s universe but then cut it off there. dont go down the slippery slope of giving every character a show like the comics gives everyone character a series or a limited series. i think between the three shows they can adequately represent and showcase the rest of the marvel universe via guest stars or reoccurring roles.
NightBoyWonder
NightBoyWonder - 5/20/2024, 11:17 AM
I’m going to be a bit selfish and say, for now just focus and keep it X-Men. But this could eventually very well be the jumping off point for a Justice League Unlimited tier animated Marvel series.
FinnishDude
FinnishDude - 5/20/2024, 12:12 PM
The only major plot-thread left hanging by Spider-Man TAS' ending was his reunion with MJ and that's more of a "direct to streaming animated special" or "three-part mini-series" type of story to tell. The show doesn't need an outright revival and that show honestly has aged worse than people are willing to admit.

Plus, as far as Spider-Man cartoons go, a certain other one deserves a revival far more.

User Comment Image
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 5/20/2024, 1:14 PM
At the very least another Avengers or Spider-Man animated series. The connection X-men is already there.
Odekahn
Odekahn - 5/20/2024, 2:59 PM
One thing that stands out to me is that Spiderman TAS last season was in 1998. X-men 97 is obviously in ‘97. So wouldn’t that technically be the Mary Jane clone and not Mary Jane herself since it was the year before? How could Peter have found her a whole year before he even knew she wasn’t the real MJ?
Drace24
Drace24 - 5/21/2024, 6:38 PM
I still want them to continue Spectacular Spider-Man instead.
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