Marvel has been firing on all cylinders ever since Disney bought the studio in 2009. The studio has slowly changed the face of cinema by introducing a shared cinematic universe of superheroes: the MCU. This movie franchise has become one of the most profitable in history, and the movie at the end of the infinity saga, Avengers: Endgame, became the highest grossing movie of all time. Then, the studio started to expand this live action universe on TV, launching several big-name superhero shows on Disney+.
The next move from the studio seems to be taking on the animated world. Marvel initially experimented with this format with What If, but now the subsidiary division of the company, Marvel Animation, has hit it big with the release of X-Men 97. This revival show was not only received well by fans and critics, but it also showed that there are bright things ahead for Marvel Animation.
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5 Selling New Characters
The Main Villain In X-Men 97 Was New To Many Fans
Bastion is a Marvel Comics character that first debuted in the X-Men comics in 1996. However, the introduction to this sentinel cyborg was new to many fans of X-Men 97. While Magneto played a villainous role in season one of this show, as many fans expected, Bastion was arguably one of the more captivating characters in X-Men 97.
The fact that Marvel went in this direction for X-Men 97 shows that they are willing to try new things with their animated shows. As such, many fans of this show would now be happy to see Bastion show up in live action in one of the MCU films. With Giancarlo Esposito being announced as starring in an upcoming Marvel project, many people have speculated that he may be playing this character. Marvel Animation could use their animated shows to test the waters with lesser-known characters and concepts, before rolling them out in live action.
4 Giving Other Characters Space
Fans Want To See Other Characters In Animated Shows
One of the main issues that the MCU has faced since its inception is the fact that there are so many characters in this universe. Many fans may have to wait years before their favorite hero pops up again. This is most evident in the six-year gap between the first two Doctor Strange movies. Now, this wait is only going to get longer with the studio now introducing characters from The Fantastic Four and X-Men into the MCU. Disney+ shows have been able to expand this focus, but again, there are only so many resources the studio has.
With so much going on in live action, some Marvel fans may have to accept that they will not see some of their favorite comic characters in the MCU. However, Marvel Animation is just another way that the studio has to shine a light on some smaller characters. For example, Cloak and Dagger are a superhero team that appeared in the finale of X-Men 97. While Marvel may not rush to overshadow the likes of Wolverine and Thor to give these characters their own movie, Marvel Animation may want to take on this property to highlight some smaller parts of the Marvel Universe.
3 The Avengers Again
The Avengers Are Too Big To Exist Only In Live Action
Throughout X-Men 97, viewers see clips of what other superheroes in the universe are doing while the X-Men are fighting Magneto and Bastion. Of course, the most popular superheroes at the moment are members of The Avengers, including Captain America, Iron Man, and The Hulk. This is mainly due to their success and exposure in the MCU, so it makes sense for Marvel Animation to use these characters to draw attention to their new shows.
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However, the landscape of superhero media has changed since the X-Men first appeared in an animated show in the 90s. The Avengers are now the most profitable superhero team that Marvel owns, and they have been able to sell movie tickets, toys, and games consistently over the last decade and a half. With this team popping up in X-Men 97, a show that is beloved by fans, it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to give this flagship team its own spin-off animated show. The crossover potential alone would be enough to get viewers' attention.
2 Spider-Man 98
Other Shows Could Come Back
The X-Men of the 90s weren't the only popular Marvel property at the time. Spider-Man has been one of Marvel's most successful superheroes since his comic debut in 1962, which is why the character also got his own animated series in the 1990s. Simply titled Spider-Man: The Animated Series, the show featured Christopher Daniel Barnes as the voice of Peter Parker, and there were regular crossover events with the 90s X-Men show. Sadly, the show only ran for five seasons, and was canceled when Sony lost the television rights to the character.
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With Marvel dusting off the X-Men of the 90s and reviving their show in the form of X-Men 97, it wouldn't be unexpected for them to do the same with the Spider-Man of that era. Marvel Animation has the television rights to both properties, and Christopher Daniel Barnes cameos as his version of the character in X-Men 97. Let's hope this is a sign that the animated Spidey is coming back.
1 The X-Men Have A Bright Future
X-Men 97 Isn't Going To Be A Spotlight Series
Many questions were raised when Marvel announced X-Men 97 in 2021. Why were they bringing back an old property? Is this project only going to serve to tie up loose ends in one season? All these questions were answered when the first episodes of the show started airing. Not only were these episodes great, but they also set up a large story in the Marvel animated universe. It seems that the X-Men of the 90s were back and were here to stay.
The show garnered a great fan response, and critics also loved it, with the show receiving a Rotten Tomatoes score of 94%. Therefore, it made little sense for Marvel Animation to abandon a successful series after just one season. It seems that the studios next big project will be bringing X-Men 97 season 2 to viewers as quickly as possible. With the tease of Apocalypse at the end of season 1, it seems that great things are in store.
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