Marvel Studios' next Disney+ show is set to bring back a sprawling roster of superheroes, with Marvel Animation steadily revealing who will appear in the long-awaited return of X-Men '97. After Season 1 ended with a finale that scattered the team across timelines, the studio has used promotional art, action figures, and a New York Comic-Con trailer to bring fans up to speed. X-Men '97 Season 2 will hold its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 13, with its Disney+ debut expected to follow later in the summer.
Thanks to the immense wave of promotional material, 23 superheroes are now confirmed to appear in X-Men '97 Season 2. The lineup brings back Season 1 favorites while also introducing new mutant teams like X-Force, X-Factor, and X-Corp, the latter taking visual cues from Grant Morrison's New X-Men comic run. With the first mutant, Apocalypse, set as the season's main threat, these heroes will need to find a way to stop him.
Every Superhero Confirmed To Appear in X-Men '97 Season 2
Cyclops
Ray Chase's Scott Summers ended Season 1 hurled into the year 3960 with Jean Grey by his side, and Marvel Animation has confirmed his return via the NYCC trailer and the new X-Corp promo art. His updated look features a blue and white suit with a dark leather jacket, while later episodes will see him in a Grant Morrison-inspired uniform.
Cyclops occupies a curious spot in the wider Marvel Studios roster right now. James Marsden's live-action version from the original Fox films is officially set to appear in Avengers: Doomsday, with the third teaser trailer for that film showing him ripping off his visor to unleash a full optic blast. Having two distinct versions of Scott Summers active across animation and live-action at the same time makes him one of the most heavily promoted mutants by Marvel Studios.
Jean Grey
Jennifer Hale's Jean Grey is stranded in the same far future as her husband Cyclops, where they encounter a young version of their son Nathan Summers. Her Season 2 return was confirmed through the NYCC trailer and the X-Corp poster, with the Phoenix host stepping back into action in a new red and black suit.
Jean is one of Marvel's most powerful telepaths and arguably the most dangerous being in Marvel Studios' wider catalog when the Phoenix Force is in play. Veteran X-Men writer Chris Claremont recently claimed Famke Janssen will reprise her live-action Jean Grey role in Avengers: Doomsday, although Janssen herself has yet to officially confirm the news. Stranger Things star Sadie Sink, who is playing a mystery character in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is also rumoured to be playing a young Jean Grey in that film.
In Brand New Day's trailer, Sadie's character is treated as a danger. In certain shots, she's restrained to a chair, and in others, she seems to be using telepathic powers to cause havoc in New York. Her role in the Spidey adventure has, however, not been confirmed.
Storm
Alison Sealy-Smith's Storm had her Season 1 whereabouts left a mystery, but the NYCC trailer and a "Wasteland" Funko figure have confirmed her Season 2 return. Her new look swaps the iconic white outfit for a yellow and blue ensemble with shoulder pads and a long black cape, while her white hair is now tied back into a ponytail.
Storm is an omega-level mutant whose weather-bending abilities make her one of the most powerful figures in all of Marvel Studios' superhero ranks. Reports have claimed Halle Berry could reprise her live-action Storm role in Avengers: Doomsday, but the actress vehemently denied those rumors, shattering hopes of her return.
Within the X-Men corner of the studio, Storm carries the same heavyweight presence Thor typically holds in the Avengers, making her one of the few mutants who can credibly square up with Apocalypse. With the X-Men reboot happening after Secret Wars, it's only a matter of time before she makes her live-action return in the MCU.
Wolverine
Cal Dodd's Logan returns to action in Season 2 despite having the adamantium ripped from his skeleton by Magneto in the Season 1 finale. Promotional art has revealed a new ninja-inspired suit with a blue wrap across his eyes, though Marvel Animation has not yet revealed where Logan ended up after the time-displacement chaos.
Wolverine remains the most commercially valuable mutant in Marvel Studios' entire library, a fact cemented when Deadpool & Wolverine pulled in over $1.3 billion worldwide in 2024. Hugh Jackman's recent take leaned heavily into wisecracking comedy, while X-Men '97's animated version stays closer to the savage, brooding Logan that defined the original animated series. Marvel Studios has yet to officially announce Wolverine's next live-action appearance. He's not confirmed for Doomsday, but he definitely could appear in the follow-up film, Secret Wars. He's also been reportedly left out of the X-Men reboot for Phase 7.
Morph
J.P. Karliak returns as the shapeshifting Morph, who is widely expected to be in the same time-displaced "Wasteland" as Wolverine and Storm based on the new costume tease in promo material. Morph's Season 2 look ditches the long-sleeve leather jacket for a vest and adds a deep V-neck to the chest.
Morph is something of a wildcard in the entire Marvel Studios roster, with shapeshifting abilities that allow him to mimic almost any character physically and vocally. The closest comparison in the wider MCU would probably be Loki, although Morph plays for the X-Men's team rather than for himself. It'll be interesting to see how Mavrel Studios integrates a character like Morph in the broader MCU in the future.
Rogue
Lenore Zann's Rogue returns as part of the team sent back to Ancient Egypt, where the X-Men will face Apocalypse during his early days as En Sabah Nur. Her new look keeps the green and yellow color scheme but adds a large orange poncho and a long green sash around her waist. Her other costume for the season, though, is more revealing, leaving her without sleeves.
Rogue's power-absorbing abilities make her a tactical wildcard in any superhero roster. The closest MCU character to her in terms of abilities would be Absorbing Man from Agents of SHIELD. Most Avengers tend to have one defined power set, but Rogue can essentially borrow any ability through skin contact, which gives her a Swiss Army knife quality on any X-Men team. She has not been confirmed for any upcoming MCU live-action project, although her popularity in X-Men '97 has fans calling for her to be the next mutant brought into the live-action fold.
Beast
George Buza is back as Hank McCoy/Beast for Season 2, having been featured throughout the NYCC trailer. His new look replaces the classic "only shorts" outfit with dark pants, a tank top, and a blue cape over his shoulders, while later episodes will give him a fully covered uniform featuring a huge X on the chest.
Beast is the closest thing the X-Men have to Tony Stark and Bruce Banner, a brilliant scientist whose intellect tends to drive the team's response to almost every crisis. Kelsey Grammer, who took over the live-action Beast role across the Fox films and made his MCU debut in The Marvels's post-credits scene, has been officially confirmed for Avengers: Doomsday. Marvel Studios is now running two distinct Beasts on screen.
Jubilee
With most of her allies scattered across history, Holly Chou's Jubilee is now set to play a major role in Season 2's present-day storyline. Promotional art shows her in a coral-colored bodysuit with a yellow thigh holster, boots, and jacket.
The new X-Force lineup brings Jubilee into the team alongside Cable, Archangel, Psylocke, and Sunspot, marking a notable change for the firework-flinging mutant. In the comics, Jubilee is more closely associated with Generation X than any version of X-Force, so her inclusion here is a creative twist by Marvel Animation. Jubilee has not been confirmed for any upcoming live-action MCU project, but hopefully, she features in Phase 7's Mutant Saga.
Nightcrawler
Adrian Hough's Kurt Wagner will join Rogue, Beast, Magneto, Professor X, and Bishop in the Ancient Egypt team, based on recent promo art. His Season 2 redesign gives him a large red and brown outfit and a new set of tan gloves, while a yellow-hued promo image shows him in a fresh body suit with padding across the arms and legs.
Nightcrawler is one of the few mutants set to appear across multiple Marvel Studios projects this year. Alongside his X-Men '97 return, Alan Cumming has been officially confirmed to reprise his Fox-era live-action Nightcrawler in Avengers: Doomsday, after first playing him in X2 back in 2003. His unique teleportation abilities, paired with his religious convictions, make him one of the most interesting characters in the MCU.
Professor X
Charles Xavier was presumed dead for most of Season 1, but Ross Marquand's character is firmly back for Season 2, having been confirmed through posters, D23 footage, and the NYCC trailer. He is in Ancient Egypt alongside Magneto, with his new tunic and dark green jacket reflecting that setting.
Professor X has become one of the most heavily featured X-Men across all current Marvel Studios projects, with Patrick Stewart already confirmed to return as the live-action version in Avengers: Doomsday. The character had a brief MCU appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as a member of the Illuminati and is now poised to play a major role in the events of Doomsday.
Sunspot
Gui Agustini's Roberto da Costa, also known as Sunspot, was a new recruit in X-Men '97 Season 1 who struck up a strong bond with Jubilee, and he is back as part of the X-Force lineup. His Season 2 redesign gives him a blue and orange ensemble topped off with a red ninja-style mask across his eyes.
Sunspot's ability to absorb solar energy and channel it through his body puts him in a similar bracket to Marvel Studios' more cosmically powered heroes, although on a smaller scale. The Brazilian mutant is more commonly associated with the New Mutants in the comics, so his inclusion on X-Force here is one of the more interesting roster choices Marvel Animation has made.
Forge
The Native American mutant inventor Forge looks to be running the present-day X-Men following the team's scattering across time. He's expected to be a key figure in the effort to bring everyone home.
Forge's powers center on creating and operating advanced technology, giving him a niche that no other mutant on the team really shares. Within Marvel Studios' broader hero roster, his role is a bit closer to Riri Williams, who similarly relies on tech-based ingenuity rather than raw superhuman power.
Bishop
Isaac Robinson-Smith's Bishop is back in Season 2, with his time-travel experience set to make him crucial to the X-Men's mission of reuniting in the present. His Season 2 outfits include a yellow-and-blue suit with short sleeves and a V-neck one with a large X design on the chest, and weapon straps. Promo art has placed Bishop with the Ancient Egypt team.
The energy-absorbing time traveler from the near future is one of the more morally grey characters in Marvel Studios' wider hero catalog. His unique perspective from a dystopian future positions him closer to a character like Kang than the average Avenger, although his methods are far less villainous.
Cable
Chris Potter's Cable is in the present day, while his much younger self, Nathan Summers, meets Cyclops and Jean Grey in the year 3960. The character has been officially confirmed as the leader of the new X-Force lineup, with his Season 2 design featuring grey pants, a blue top, and green suspenders.
Josh Brolin has played Cable in the Deadpool live-action films before going on to voice Thanos in the MCU's Infinity Saga. With an X-Force project reportedly being developed for Marvel Studios' Phase 7 mutant rollout, Cable could make a live-action return.
Polaris
Polaris had a brief Season 1 cameo and has now been officially confirmed to play a much larger role in Season 2 via the X-Corp and X-Factor promo art. As Magneto's daughter, she shares her father's magnetic powers, with her new costume featuring an asymmetrical top and an X logo on the left chest area. She also appears in another costume featuring an X logo on the chest, worn under a jacket which also has an X-Men logo on the sleeve.
Polaris is one of three Magneto kids set to play a prominent role in a Marvel Studios project. Her half-siblings from the comics, Wanda Maximoff and Pietro Maximoff, have appeared in live-action MCU projects. Scream star Neve Campbell was previously reported to be voicing her in Season 2, although the actress later cast doubt on the rumor. The character provides a fascinating link between the X-Men corner of Marvel Studios and the existing Avengers lineup, where her half-siblings have already played key roles.
Havok
Alex Summers, Cyclops' brother, was teased in a Season 1 cameo and is now confirmed to play a much bigger role in Season 2 as a member of the new X-Factor team. His updated costume is a darker blue and yellow suit with X-Men logos on the chest and jacket.
Havok was previously played in live-action by Lucas Till across the Fox X-Men prequels, starting with X-Men: First Class in 2011. His plasma blasts make him roughly comparable to Cyclops in raw destructive power, although with a wider blast radius and less precision. Marvel Studios has not announced any plans for the character beyond X-Men '97.
Wolfsbane
Rahne Sinclair, the Scottish mutant known as Wolfsbane, will appear for the first time in X-Men '97 as a new member of the X-Factor team. Her ability to transform into a wolf gives her a werewolf-style fighting capability, with her new sleeveless yellow and blue costume.
Wolfsbane is one of the few mutants whose powers overlap with the more supernatural corner of Marvel Studios, putting her in conversation with characters like Werewolf By Night from the 2022 Disney+ special of the same name. Wolfsbane has also long been a member of various superhero rosters in the comics, and Marvel Animation has placed her on X-Factor in X-Men '97.
Strong Guy
Guido Carosella, better known as Strong Guy, made a brief appearance in X-Men '97 Season 1 and is now back for Season 2 as a member of the X-Factor team. His new look includes silver shoulder pads, a different top, and goggles.
Strong Guy's super-strength puts him in a similar bracket to Marvel Studios heroes like the Hulk and The Thing when it comes to pure physical power, although he is far less prominent in the wider comic canon. His ability comes from absorbing kinetic energy, which makes him a useful counterpart to the more agile members of X-Factor.
Multiple Man
Jamie Madrox, also known as Multiple Man, will be introduced in Season 2 as part of the new X-Factor team. His Season 2 look features a blue outfit, an X-labeled headpiece, and a green trench coat that was teased in the NYCC trailer.
Multiple Man's ability to create exact physical duplicates of himself is one of the most logistically wild powers in the entire Marvel Studios catalog, allowing him to be his own army. The late Eric Dane played the character in X-Men: The Last Stand back in 2006, although Marvel Studios has not announced any future live-action plans for him. Multiple Man is one of numerous mutants from the Fox X-Men films set to appear in X-Men '97 Season 2.
Valerie Cooper
Val Cooper, the government liaison previously met in Season 1, has been officially confirmed as part of the new X-Factor team in Season 2. She is not a mutant herself, but Cooper acts as the team's link to the U.S. government, which gives X-Factor its officially sanctioned status.
Cooper occupies a similar role in Marvel Studios' mutant corner to Nick Fury in the Avengers ecosystem, working as the non-powered bureaucratic figure who keeps the team operational. She first appeared in X-Men comics in the 1980s and has long been a fixture of X-Factor stories, although Marvel Studios has yet to introduce a live-action version of her.
Archangel
Warren Worthington III, also known as Archangel, was confirmed for X-Men '97 Season 2 in the trailer shown at NYCC. Hasbro Marvel Legends merch also confirmed his appearance in the series. He also shows up in promotional art for the new X-Force team.
In Marvel Comics, Archangel has long been part of the 2010s Uncanny X-Force lineup. His inclusion in X-Men '97 is a major Marvel Studios appearance for the character. He last appeared in live-action in X-Men: Apocalypse back in 2016. His flying abilities and metallic feathers give him a niche similar to Falcon and Vulture in the MCU, who are aerial combat pros.
Psylocke
Betsy Braddock, also known as Psylocke, was hinted at via a life-size statue at New York Comic-Con and is officially part of the new X-Force lineup. She had a brief appearance in Season 1's finale as a member of the Canadian superhero team Alpha Flight, with Season 2 bringing her into the main spotlight.
Psylocke is one of the few mutants whose telepathic abilities allow her to create psionic blades, giving her a melee fighting style that very few Marvel Studios heroes share. Olivia Munn previously played her in X-Men: Apocalypse back in 2016, although Marvel Studios has not announced any live-action plans for the character moving forward. Her inclusion in X-Force suggests Marvel Animation is leaning into the 2010s comic incarnation of the team rather than the 1990s original.
Magneto
Matthew Waterson's Magneto is back for Season 2, with the master of magnetism now allied with the X-Men in Ancient Egypt rather than working against them. His new look brings back the purple cape and red helmet, plus a long maroon jacket and pants under the cape, with the cape itself slightly frayed in the new promo art.
Magneto's central conflict with Xavier is the foundation of nearly every major X-Men story, which makes him one of the most important characters in Marvel Studios' mutant rollout. Sir Ian McKellen has been officially confirmed to reprise his live-action Magneto role in Avengers: Doomsday, with the second Doomsday teaser showing him playing chess with Patrick Stewart's Xavier. The character's mix of trauma, ideology, and raw power has long made him the most compelling antagonist (and sometimes hero) in the entire X-Men canon.
Geraldo Amartey is a writer at The Direct. He joined the team in 2025, bringing with him four years of experience covering entertainment news, pop culture, and fan-favorite franchises for sites like YEN, Briefly and Tuko.
