X-Men: The Animated Series premiered in 1992 and ran for a total of 76 episodes. The show was a hit with comic book fans and delivered a near-perfect take on the mutant team that still resonates today.
Marvel Studios is revisiting the franchise in the upcoming Disney+ revival X-Men '97, with most of the original cast returning to pick up where the series left off. We'd hoped to see it launch later this year, but with Marvel Studios slowing down its output, there's every chance the revival will slip into 2024.
Yes, merchandise for the show is starting to find its way into stores, but that's been the case for What If...? season 2 for several months now and that series is also looking increasingly unlikely for a 2023 release.
Head Writer Beau DeMayo has done his best to keep fans updated on social media and recently responded to a supposed plot leak (via Toonado.com) with a new piece of information we're sure many of you will welcome.
As you can see above, he's confirmed that Storm and Cyclops will be X-Men '97's main characters, presumably meaning those two will step up to lead the team in Professor X's absence. Those two working together is something comic book fans will, of course, be familiar with and this appears to debunk claims Wolverine will lead alongside Ororo Munroe.
The X-Men will eventually be rebooted for live-action, and X-Men '97 seems like a great way to familiarise many fans with the team before they join the MCU. After all, Fox's movies are quickly becoming a distant memory and, outside of a few exceptions, are best off forgotten.
Believe it or not, the San Diego Comic-Con is already fast approaching, so we can only hope Marvel Studios plans to reveal more about this show and more at the event.
Keep checking back here for X-Men '97 updates as we have them.