Marvel Studios just introduced its own Psylocke in X-Men '97 Season 2, taking over the role that was famously once played by Olivia Munn. Much like its predecessor, X-Men: The Animated Series, X-Men '97 has made waves for introducing an expansive cast of mutants, which has only grown in Season 2 as multiple mutant teams come together to fight Apocalypse across time.
X-Men ‘97 Season 2, Episode 2 officially unveiled Cable’s new X-Factor superhero team, with Betsy Braddock, aka Psylocke, on the roster. This time around, the psionic mutant is brought to life by actress Naoko Mori, best known for her roles in Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood and British cult comedy Absolutely Fabulous.
Psylocke was famously played in live-action by Olivia Munn in 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse under 20th Century Fox. The now-45-year-old actress has credits in HBO's The Newsroom, Apple TV+'s Your Friends and Neighbors, and movies like Ride Along 2, Magic Mike, The Predator, and Office Christmas Party.
Notably, X-Men '97 has also recast Psylocke from X-Men: The Animated Series, where she was voiced by Canadian actress Tasha Simms in the Season 4 arc, "Beyond Good and Evil." It's unclear why Simms was replaced, perhaps in favor of an actress who honors Psylocke's Japanese and British connections.
Marvel Studios introduced its own Psylocke briefly as one of Cassandra Nova’s mutant henchmen in the Void, where she was played by stunt performer Ayesha Hussain. Ultimately, Psylocke fell victim to Dafne Keen’s Laura, aka X-23, as she plunged her claws into her chest, killing her.
X-Men: The Last Stand offered up Psylocke's live-action debut as a member of Magneto's Brotherhood of Mutants, played by actress Mei Melançon. This Psylocke was heavily criticized for lacking her iconic psionic blades, instead being reduced to a cameo with strange shadow teleportation powers.
X-Men '97 Season 2's first three episodes are streaming now on Disney+, with new episodes expected to drop every Wednesday.
When Will Psylocke Return in the Live-Action MCU?
As Avengers: Doomsday is pulling its returning mutants from the early days of Fox's X-Men, in which Psylocke only had a minor role in The Last Stand, she isn't expected to feature in the December blockbuster. But perhaps there may be room for Olivia Munn to have a second go at Psylocke in next year's Secret Wars.
Fortunately, it won't be long until Phase 7 comes around to introduce a new era of mutants, and Psylocke has a strong chance to appear somewhere. While she is unlikely to make the cut for Jake Schreier's X-Men reboot movie, Marvel Studios is reportedly developing an X-Force project, where Psylocke could be a member.
Despite X-Men: Apocalypse largely being panned across the board, Munn's portrayal of Psylocke received favorable reactions. Not only did the actress bring a comic-accurate look to the blade-wielding mutant, but she also trained extensively in martial arts and sword work to perform her own stunts.
Unfortunately, that makes Munn's Psylocke one of the many tragically wasted castings in Fox's later string of mediocre movies. Marvel Studios could keep her around for a chance of redemption in the MCU, but it seems more likely that Psylocke will be recast, with Shogun star Anna Sawai being a popular fan cast.
But first, fans can expect to spend more time with Psylocke in X-Men '97 Season 2 and possibly in future seasons. The first official trailer for the sophomore outing confirmed that Psylocke and the rest of X-Force will unite with other mutant teams to take on Apocalypse in an epic clash, likely toward the end of the season.
