It's no longer a question of if the X-Men are going to come to the MCU, but when. Back in 2019, when Disney's purchase of 20th Century Fox and all its valuable IP went through, the mutant flood gates blew open in a big way. While there has been nary a sign of homo-superior at Marvel Studios as of yet, they are coming, which will first be in form of X-Men 97.
Announced during Disney+ Day 2021, the animated project serves as a continuation/reboot of the classic X-Men cartoon from the 1990s. Starring the likes of Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, Rogue, and Jean Grey, the project is set to debut on Disney's streaming platform sometime in the not-too-istant future.
Though this is not the live-action MCU debut fans have been waiting for, which may come some time soon, it is exciting for the X-Men faithful who grew up with this beloved cartoon classic.
Now, the timeline on X-Men 97 is not 100% clear, but recent hints indicate just how far along the project is.
Wolverine Takes the Mic
Wolverine voice actor Cal Dodd Tweeted out an image showing that he is officially back in the studio recording lines for the upcoming X-Men 97 Disney+ project.
Dodd is most well-known for portraying Wolverine in the original '90s X-Men cartoon, and he can be seen in his tweet back in the booth sporting a Logan bomber jacket and showing off his adamantium claws (aka his three fingers).
Dodd shared his excitement to be back in the text of his Tweet:
"Guess what I was doing in the studio today? SO great to be back!!! #Wolverine #DisneyPlus #xmen #XMen97 #xmentas"
Animated X-Men is Back for Marvel Studios
While many may not know the name Cal Dodd, they surely know his voice, so it is very cool to see that he is back as Logan and is actively working on X-Men 97. It has already been revealed the original X-Men: The Animated Series core voice cast would be back for 97, but actually seeing it happening is something so incredibly cool.
One thing to note will be just how deep into the mutant cartoon archives Disney goes back here. Will audiences get the original voices of deep-cut characters like Morph or Blob? If Disney really wanted to make this the love letter to the '90s cartoon, then this would be the way to do it by getting the band back together and bringing in everyone.
Or why not have them interact with some familiar characters to audiences of today? The X-Men team is no stranger to crossovers, so why not have them join forces with someone like Chris Evans' Steve Rogers? Or maybe even broaden the X-Men love and have them meet up with the likes of Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart's Wolverine and Professor X.
X-Men 97 feels like a big risk, so get weird and have some fun! Because it certainly looks like those involved are already enjoying themselves getting back into the Saturday morning cartoon swing of things.
