Do You Need To Watch X-Men: The Animated Series Before X-Men '97?
The first reactions to "X-Men '97" have praised it as a worthwhile follow-up to "X-Men: The Animated Series," but does it serve as a reboot or direct sequel to the beloved '90s cartoon? Marvel is promoting "X-Men '97" as a revival, so fully appreciating it will require viewers to be familiar with everything that came before. Furthermore, the story follows the titular mutants adjusting to life following Professor Xavier's tragic story on "X-Men: The Animated Series," so bygone events have informed the new chapter.
Those who aren't caught up can watch Marvel Entertainment's teaser video, which showcases some of the original show's most iconic moments (including the X-Men's battle against the Sentinels) and their turbulent relationship with Magneto. This further proves that "X-Men '97" acknowledges the past, but the teaser doesn't provide an in-depth overview of the five-season run of "X-Men: The Animated Series," so it might be wise to watch the show before starting the sequel.
"X-Men '97" isn't part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so viewers won't have to know what's happening in that franchise to appreciate the Disney+ series. With that in mind, does "X-Men '97" mark a shift for Marvel's content output?
How X-Men '97 came to be
The MCU is still Marvel Studios' priority, but the company seems open to expanding beyond its golden goose. While speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Brad Winderbaum, Marvel's head of streaming, discussed the creation of "X-Men '97" and hinted at more shows of this ilk down the line.
According to Winderbaum, the success of "What If...?" inspired Marvel to create more animated shows, and Kevin Feige was happy to sign off on "X-Men '97" if the original actors were game and the theme song was still available. Winderbaum highlighted that Disney+ was envisioned as an outlet for various types of Marvel content to have a home, including the continuation of stories from the past. "It's about honoring what came before in order to find a new arc for these iconic characters," he said. "So I am really excited about what's on the horizon. There's some great, great work coming down the pipe that audiences are going to really love."
Hopefully, "X-Men '97" will be successful and ensure more adventures for the mutants. The good news is that Season 2 is currently in the development stages, suggesting that this saga is only beginning.