MCU fans were recently spoiled on who will be the villain in the upcoming X-Men ’97 series on Disney+ thanks to new merchandise.
The upcoming X-Men reboot will be the mutants’ first official run under the Marvel Studios umbrella, as it continues the story from the beloved ‘90s series, X-Men: The Animated Series.
Although classic X-Men villains like Magneto will play a role in this rebooted animated show, plenty of new characters will also take the spotlight with Marvel Studios taking its first shot at the mutants.
Merch Reveals X-Men ’97 Villain
Funko shared images of a brand-new Funko Pop! revealing a look at an upcoming villain from X-Men ’97 - the Goblin Queen.
The Pop! shows off the Goblin Queen with her flowing red hair, a black suit, and a long, flowing red-and-black cape behind her. She also has a small baby in her left arm.
Goblin Queen (aka Madelyne Pryor) has been a mainstay in X-Men comics since the mid-80s, making her first appearance in Uncanny X-Men #168 in April 1983.
After having been a villain in her own right to the X-Men, Madelyne makes a deal with the demons S'ym and N'astir, becoming the Goblin Queen and descending into complete madness after searching for the Marauders, a group of super-powered mercenaries to take down the X-Men.
If the baby she is carrying is the same as the one on the comics page, that is, in fact, the mutant son of Scott Summers (aka Cyclops), one of the longest-tenured X-Men members.
Madelyne and Scott were once romantic suitors in Marvel Comics, before eventually drifting apart following the birth of their son, Nathan Christopher Charles Summers (who would go on to be the X-Men-adjacent hero Cable).
Being a clone of Jean Grey, she possesses the powers of reality manipulation, being able to conjure manifestations of objects where they do not exist as well as telepathy, using her mind to influence the thoughts of others.
This Goblin Queen Funko comes after X-Men ’97 has gotten a fair share of merchandise ahead of its Disney+ release, most of it highlighting the extensive cast of characters that will drive the story forward.
How Far is X-Men ’97 From Releasing?
Although X-Men ’97 was first introduced to the public at San Diego Comic-Con 2022, the show has faced several delays over the last couple of years.
While fans have gotten plenty of information about the characters in the show, including other major villains outside of the Goblin Queen, the MCU’s second animated series still has plenty of work left before it can be released.
The cast and crew have expressed immense excitement for the series, with Rogue star Lenore Zann calling the season a “wild ride” and noting that Rogue is her “favorite character [she’s] played to date.”
And with it being just the beginning of the X-Men’s arrival in the MCU before Deadpool 3 and the upcoming live-action reboot, only time will tell how the series expands the MCU to new heights.
X-Men ’97 is currently expected to be released on Disney+ in early 2024.
