“X-Men ’97” has officially been confirmed for a third season, as announced during New York Comic Con this past Saturday. Fans can expect Season 2 to premiere in the summer of 2026.
A trailer presented to Comic Con attendees showcased the return of the formidable mutant Apocalypse, along with X-Men characters navigating through various timelines. Iconic heroes such as Wolverine, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Jubilee, and Nightcrawler find themselves attempting to return to the 1990s after getting lost in both the past and future.
The inaugural season of the series launched on Disney+ on March 20, 2024, concluding its 10-episode run on May 15. This revival continues the narrative from the beloved “X-Men: The Animated Series” of the 1990s, garnering favorable reviews from both critics and the fanbase.
The new iteration of the series resumes precisely where “X-Men: The Animated Series” left off in 1997. The X-Men, still facing prejudice from the broader human population, are dealing with the fallout from the supposed demise of their esteemed leader, Professor Charles Xavier. Meanwhile, their arch-nemesis Magneto has assumed control over the team per Charles’ last wishes, though it’s later uncovered that the telepath is alive and residing within the Shi’ar alien empire. Charles eventually returns to Earth, aiding his team to confront Bastion, a formidable hybrid of human and robot Sentinels, which leads to the X-Men being thrown across time.
As Season 1 draws to a close, a shocking twist reveals that Cyclops and Jean Grey are trapped in the year 3960 A.D., while Rogue, Beast, Nightcrawler, Charles, and Magneto find themselves in ancient Egypt circa 3000 B.C. There, they encounter a young Apocalypse, who is destined to become a supervillain. Additionally, there are subtle hints indicating that Gambit, presumed dead after a fierce battle with Sentinels, may have survived. Furthermore, in a dramatic turn of events, Magneto has extracted all the adamantium from Wolverine, leaving plenty for Season 2 to explore.
The original head writer Beau DeMayo was let go by Marvel just before the Season 1 launch, after completing his work on Season 2. Season 3 will be penned by Matthew Chauncey, known for his contributions to “What If?” The voice cast will feature 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.
