X-Men '97 Writer Wants You To Wonder How His Show Connects To The MCU
With the impending arrival of our second trip to meet the MCU's local neurosurgeon, "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," the one thing fans are counting on is the appearance of a well-known professor — and, it seems, member of The Illuminati – Charles Xavier. Originally brought to life on the big screen 22 years ago (yep, you read that right) in "X-Men," Patrick Stewart's OG telepath has been teased to appear in the new chapter of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for a long time now.
The giveaway was first shown with a segment of Stewart's legendary bald head (from behind), before being followed up with a shot of the Professor's iconic chair — and not the ordinary wheelchair from the prior Fox movies, but rather, the floating hoverchair seen in the beloved 1990s "X-Men" animated series.
Xavier's arrival marked the first appearance of a well-known mutant appearing in the franchise, begging the question of how and when other individuals gifted with the mutant gene would be turning up. The closest and most obvious link would be in "X-Men '97," the follow-up series that carries on from the aforementioned animated show.
Now, a new question arises — will the classic cartoon now be considered part of the MCU's multiverse canon? One person who might have a clue about it all is the show's writer, Beau DeMayo. In a recent interview, he remains incredibly cryptic about the whole thing, but not above dropping some tantalizing clues.
The X-Men '97 writer is dropping MCU hints
Set for release in the Summer of 2023, "X-Men '97" is confirmed to have most of the voice cast from the original series back in the recording studio to reprise their roles as the favorite team of mutants, and to follow the same continuity of the original animated series. Of course, given that this will be airing on Disney+, the landing spot for every Marvel TV show and eventual movie, will the revival mean that the original cartoon (and this one) take place somewhere in the MCU's now-multiversal timeline?
It's here where DeMayo dropped in two words that have been known to crush the hearts of any fan looking for details for decades. "The one thing I can say towards that is, I know sometimes we say, 'No comment,' and it's like, 'They're just being obstinate," DeMayo said, speaking with The Direct. "I'm gonna go with no comment here because part of the surprise will be finding that out when you experience the show."
Hoping to claw away with some info like an angry adamantium-laced Canadian, the site asked if trying to figure out where and when the show takes place would be part of the viewing experience, DeMayo said, "I can't speak to marketing, but I think there is a degree of — you will be asking that question."
So, maybe it's part of the broader MCU landscape, or maybe it's just a nostalgic revival of the property that introduced so many Marvel fans into the fold in the first place. Honestly, where's a telepathic leader for a school of gifted children when you need one?