X-Men: The Animated Series has a devoted fanbase, but it's not exactly considered a classic on the same level as, say, Batman: The Animated Series.
Regardless, we all had high expectations heading into X-Men '97 and the Marvel Animation series has absolutely smashed them. Perhaps the best take on these heroes we've ever seen grace the screen, Marvel Studios will have its work cut out when it comes to topping the show with its eventual live-action X-Men reboot.
In this feature, we're exploring what's worked so well in X-Men '97 and how that can translate to theaters. In other words, these are the lessons the next X-Men movie needs to learn from the revival, especially after 20th Century Fox's hit-and-miss (mostly miss) efforts.
To read through these points, simply click on the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.
5. Wolverine Isn't The Main Character
Wolverine was the lead character in 2000's X-Men. And X2: X-Men United. Oh, and X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men: The Days of Future Past as well. Heck, he even had to be enlisted for cameos in X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Apocalypse!
Fox's live-action franchise might as well have been called "Wolverine and the X-Men," and characters like Cyclops and even Storm definitely ended up getting the short end of the stick.
X-Men '97 has changed that. Wolverine is still a crucial part of the team and, as recently as this week, got a standout action sequence showing why he's the best there is at what he does. However, instead of being the focal point, he's the strong and silent type, chiming in where necessary but still fascinating to watch interact with his teammates.
4. Storm, An Omega-Level Badass
Storm had some cool moments in both sets of X-Men movies, but we'd be lying to say either version - played by Halle Berry and Alexandra Shipp - did the source material justice.
While Ororo Munroe could whip up a mean storm (no pun intended), she never came across like an Omega-level mutant who is up there with Thor as a true powerhouse of a superhero. Fox also failed to take a meaningful look at her backstory and how that plays into what she brings to the table as a member of this team.
In X-Men '97, Storm is both one of the most powerful mutants on the planet and someone we've got to know a lot better thanks to her brief stint without powers. There's a lot the movies could take from this interpretation, but chief among them is the fact she's formidable, fierce, and a born leader.
3. The Team Dynamic, On The Battlefield And Off It
With so much of the spotlight put on Wolverine in the live-action movies, we never got to explore the team's dynamic beyond a superficial level (which essentially consisted of Cyclops and Wolverine not liking each other and Logan having a thing for Jean Grey).
In comparison, X-Men '97 has established Scott Summers as a leader, all while deepening his relationship with Jean. The latter's friendship with Storm has also proved to be a compelling, albeit minor, part of the show and then there's Wolverine's unlikely friendship with Morph and the budding romance between Jubilee and Sunspot.
These family dynamics and pairings that may seem odd on the surface are what make the X-Men great. We've also seen them work together in new and unique ways on the battlefield, whether it's Logan's kinetically charged claws courtesy of Gambit or Cyclops, Jean, and Cable's team-up.
2. A New Take On Familiar Faces
The original X-Men movies revolved around Professor X's rivalry with Magneto and the prequels...well, those did exactly the same thing. Thankfully, X-Men '97 has decided to put a new spin on both characters.
We've seen Charles Xavier attempt to find a new life in the cosmos alongside Lilandra and the Shi'ar, while the Master of Magnetism has put his villainous ways behind him to lead the X-Men (only for humanity to push him over the edge and seemingly force the mutant to declare war on the planet).
This has opened the door to new threats such as Bastion and Mister Sinister, while also giving Cyclops the chance to prove himself a true leader. Marvel Studios could choose to go the "First Class" route, but c'mon, it's time to shake things up just like X-Men '97 has.
1. Embracing The Franchise's Lore
You probably don't need us to tell you this, but Fox's X-Men movies didn't exactly respect the comics. While there were glimmers here and there, they largely did their own thing and that was ultimately to the detriment of these characters.
For anyone who isn't a hardcore comic book fan, the world of the X-Men is often confusing and a tad convoluted. However, X-Men '97 has shown us that even the biggest stories can be successfully adapted, whether it's Jean Grey's clone, her and Cyclops' time-travelling son, or the horrifying attack on Genosha.
The cleverest thing the show has done is merging different story arcs, changing certain elements and combining others in new an unexpected ways. With so much untapped potential from the source material, we'd like to see the live-action movie take a similar approach.