New merch reveals the first look at Wolverine unmasked in the upcoming X-Men '97 series.
The Disney+ X-Men reboot will take cues, particularly in the emotions and character portrayals, from X-Men: The Animated Series, but with its own new story. Fans of the original series also have much to get excited about with returning characters (and even returning cast members, notably Cal Dodd as Wolverine).
The rebooted animated Wolverine had been previously revealed, both in LEGO and HD form, with a LEGO set and box. In fact, LEGO has been revealing a fair bit, at least when it comes to Wolverine, with its "Wolverine's Adamantium Claws" set being unveiled in July.
Now, the merch strikes again as a new piece offers yet another tease at what's to come for Wolverine when the MCU animated series debuts on Disney+.
Merch Reveals Unmasked Animated Wolverine
Hasbro's new X-Men '97 Marvel Legends Wolverine 6-inch Action Figure offers fans a first look at the fan-favorite character without his mask on in the upcoming Disney+ reboot.
The toy comes with three different heads, two masked and one unmasked.
The figure shows a gruff and scruffy Wolverine - a characterization familiar to fans of the character. Additionally, like with his mask, the designers weren't afraid to go big on certain elements like Wolverine's hair, which bodes well for fans of more comic-like designs.
The unmasked head fits nicely with the rest of the figure, offering a sharp look for the character that is very similar to his original X-Men: The Animated Series design.
In fact, if fans were told that the figure was meant to be Wolverine from the '90s show, it wouldn't be too far off from the show's character design. In fact, the figure is almost identical to a moment from the original show where Wolverine takes his mask off.
Pre-order the X-Men 97 Marvel Legends Wolverine 6-inch Action Figure here.
Similar Aesthetics Across Both X-Men Shows
With a Wolverine that looks incredibly similar to his X-Men: The Animated Series counterpart in X-Men '97 merchandise, fans can get excited about at least some aesthetic similarity between the two shows.
Granted, this is not the first time this aesthetic similarity has been noted. However, it continues to emphasize the role of the original series in the development and execution of the reboot.
The original series is iconic, with the theme song even being used multiple times in the MCU already (Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness and Ms. Marvel). Not only is it widely considered a fantastic show, but it is highly nostalgia-inducing for many current X-Men fans.
As such, it is a good sign to see the reboot continue to pull from the original series' strengths, emphasizing that it will be a continuation that honors the original, while adding new interpretations and stories.
There is no current release date for X-Men '97, but when it does premiere, it will be on Disney+.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
