At San Diego Comic-Con 2022, we got our first look at X-Men ’97, the animated ‘requel’ series to the original 1992 show. This project will not only be the first “fully-produced” Marvel Studios adaptation of the X-Men, but it will be the first Marvel Disney+ series that will have apparently no connection to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Of course, the theme from this show has been used twice in the MCU, once as Professor X’s entrance music during his Multiverse of Madness cameo and the second being during the Ms. Marvel finale stinger, so who knows? Maybe we’ll get some tie-ins yet.
The current cast list features the return of not only fan-favorite characters but also their original voice actors from the ’90s show (Cal Dodd as James Howlett/Wolverine, Lenore Zann as Anna-Marie Raven/Rogue, George Buza as Dr. Henry “Hank” McCoy/Beast, Catherine Disher as Jean Grey, Chris Potter as Remy LeBeau/Gambit, Alison Sealy-Smith as Ororo Munroe/Storm, Adrian Hough as Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler, Nathaniel Essex/Mister Sinister).
There are also some new cast members and characters, as well as returning cast members who are playing as of yet unannounced roles and characters with unannounced voice actors (Alyson Court, Jubilee’s original voice actress, will be returning to the show, however, she will not be playing Jubilee and has asked that an Asian actress be cast in the role). Here is the list of all announced cast/characters whose roles have yet to be announced:
- Jennifer Hale as TBA
- Anniwaa Buachie as TBA
- Ray Chase as TBA
- Matthew Waterson as TBA
- J.P. Karliak as TBA
- Holly Chou as TBA
- Jeff Bennett as TBA
- A.J. LoCascio as TBA
- TBA as Jubilation Lee/Jubilee
- TBA as Roberto Da Costa/Sunspot
- TBA as Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto
It’s hard to say how well this sequel series will be able to capture the ’90s aesthetic; it will have been 31 years since the premiere of this series by the time it comes out in Fall 2023 on Disney+. Leaked stills from the show indicate that it will be evoking the original ’90s art style with its bright colors and thin lines.
Still, the thing I’m looking forward to the most is hearing the theme music again and seeing the title sequence that will go with it.
I, and all the other ’90s kids, will be waiting until then.
