The minds behind X-Men '97 Season 2's epic score have revealed how they amped up the music for a bigger and bolder second season, as well as some of the characters they'd like to tackle next. X-Men '97 has become one of Marvel's most anticipated streaming shows, as the animated series revives the spirit of the classic X-Men: The Animated Series with fresh stories and a new coat of paint.
Andy Grush and Taylor Newton Stewart, collectively known as The Newton Brothers, are big contributors to X-Men '97's incredible vibe, capturing the nostalgic themes of the original series and updating them for modern audiences. Season 2 was even more demanding musically than Season 1, with the X-Men heroes spread out across different time periods, and multiple new mutant teams entering the fray.
In an interview with The Direct, Stewart shared that the differing teams and time periods are something the duo "discussed with the creatives to really help clean up the direction of who's doing what and when." The composer explained that they would begin by isolating the character's musical theme and then "would manipulate [that] based on where they were and what timeline they were in."
Some of the more challenging characters for the composers to score for this season included some of X-Men's most iconic heroes. "There was a big storyline with Rogue that we spent a lot of time on," Grush said, with Stewart adding that Magneto and Professor X's relationship was another thing they had to figure out right off the bat.
Looking ahead, X-Men '97 is confirmed for Season 3 and Season 4, and perhaps even Season 5, making it one of Marvel Studios' regular recurring shows. The duo also shared with The Direct some of the characters they hope to work with (either new or returning) in the upcoming seasons.
X-Men '97 Season 2 debuted on Disney+ on July 1, 2026, with the season finale airing on August 12. The voice cast includes Ray Chase, Jennifer Hale, Cal Dodd, J. P. Karliak, Lenore Zann, and more.
Making Music For Multiple Mutant Teams in X-Men '97 Season 2
“We Discussed It With the Creatives to Really Help Clean up the Direction of Who’s Doing What and When..."
- The Direct: "This season, we have multiple different mutant teams. How did you go about making the musical language for each of these teams feel distinct from one another?"
Taylor Newton Stewart: "It was something we discussed with the creatives to really help clean up the direction of who's doing what and when. Because if you don't know the history, or you're not familiar with the characters, this will definitely make it super clear, and I think that was intentional by design. And then, if you are a fan of the characters, it just adds more clarity to that. It is super fun to have an instrument or a sound for one, and then the other has a different sound. We get a lot of joy in that kind of stuff."
Andy Grush: "They even had us sort of amp up the guitar work that is in the main titles in [Episode 3], as well as in the whole episode. Just to sort of ramp up a different factor of some ridiculous over-the-top solo guitar."
- The Direct: "You've got multiple mutual mutant teams this season, and you've also got multiple time periods. Did you also have a similar process for figuring out the music for each of those time periods?"
Taylor Newton Stewart: "We did. We kind of start off with, first, what is the character, their theme, and their sound. Then we would manipulate [that] based on where they were and what timeline they were in. That was so fun. I mean, those Egypt and future episodes, those were so much fun."
The Newton Brothers' Most Challenging Characters in X-Men Season 2
"There Was a Big Storyline With Rogue That We Spent a Lot of Time On..."
- The Direct: "Were there any characters this season that you found particularly challenging to score for, or particularly fun? Did you have any favorites?"
Andy Grush: "I think there was a lot to Season 2. There was a big storyline with Rogue that we spent a lot of time on, and I think that was probably the one. Additionally, like Nathan and Cable, we spent a lot of time with that sort of destiny theme as well because that plays a big part in the season with Apocalypse. As does Rogue and Gambit's whole story, both of love and the stresses upon that, and all that that means with the two of them.
So I think those two things were fairly challenging from not only a musical standpoint of the writing of the music and the production of it, but just figuring out what it was supposed to be and what it needed to be. A lot of times it seems obvious, like when we talk about it, like 'oh yeah, it needs to be this'. But then, as you start writing that music, it becomes a different thing, which is always an interesting sort of wall to climb over."
Taylor Newton Stewart: "I think Charles and Erik too. What they went through in Season 1, and now what happened to them in Season 2, happened so early on. That was very satisfying in terms of the music side of it."
X-Men 97's Composers Tease Their Dream Characters For Season 3
"I Would Love To See A Whole Offshoot Story of Beast..."
As the seasons of X-Men '97 continue, more and more characters from the mutant roster are steadily being introduced into the show.
When asked which characters they would most like to work with in future seasons, Stewart pointed to the newly introduced Mystique, who made an appearance in the finale of X-Men '97 Season 2.
For Grush, a self-confessed Beast fan, the hope was for "a whole offshoot story of Beast," adding that "he's the insouciant dude who's quoting Shakespeare and keeping everyone together."
The Newton Brothers will presumably remain composers on the X-Men animated project as it continues into its upcoming seasons, and thus have many more years of X-Men work to look forward to, with a growing list of characters at their disposal.
