Disney+ has announced that Marvel Studios' animated revival series, X-Men ’97, hit four million views in its first five days on the streaming service.
This makes the X-Men relaunch the streamer’s most-watched Season 1 premiere for a full-length animated series since Marvel Studios' What If…? debuted in 2021, putting it ahead of the likes of Iwájú and The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (animated shorts, such as Star Wars: Visions, I Am Groot and Zootopia+ are excluded from this count).
Even the trailer for X-Men ’97 made quite an impact, with views for all five seasons of the original 1992 X-Men: The Animated Series skyrocketing by 522% since the first look at the new show launched back in February.
Critics, who got to see the first three episodes, have been raving about the show, which had been sitting at a perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes since the review embargo lifted last week, and only just dropped to 98%.
Episode 3, "Fire Made Flesh," hits Disney+ tomorrow, and after the conclusion of last week's instalment, it's hardly a spoiler to note that the story will shift focus to the mysterious Jean Grey doppelgänger who arrived at the mansion in the closing moments (yes, it's who you think it is).
The voice cast includes Ray Chase as Cyclops, Jennifer Hale as Jean Grey, Alison Sealy-Smith as Storm, Cal Dodd as Wolverine, JP Karliak as Morph, Lenore Zann as Rogue, George Buza as Beast, AJ LoCascio as Gambit, Holly Chou as Jubilee, Isaac Robinson-Smith as Bishop, Matthew Waterson as Magneto and Adrian Hough as Nightcrawler.
Beau DeMayo, who was recently fired, serves as head writer of X-Men ’97, while episodes are directed by Jake Castorena, Chase Conley and Emi Yonemura. Brad Winderbaum, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and DeMayo executive produce.
The titles for all 10 episodes were recently revealed.
While the titles don't appear to give too much away at first glance, some of them definitely offer hints at what the episodes in question could focus on, and those familiar with the X-Men's comic book history are sure to pick up on a few things.
For that reason, potential spoilers follow.
E1: To Me, My X-Men
E2: Mutant Liberation Begins
E3: Fire Made Flesh
E4: Motendo
E5: Remember It
E6: Bright Eyes
E7: Shine With Strength Reborn
E8: Tolerance is Extinction - Part 1
E9: Tolerance is Extinction - Part 2
E10: Tolerance is Extinction - Part 3
Have you been enjoying X-Men '97 so far? Drop us a comment down below.
"A band of mutants use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them; they're challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future. New Episodes, New Era."