Cher Thompson is a Senior Staff Writer at Screen Rant, where she covers everything from explosive reality TV moments to cast interviews about the twists and turns of scripted dramas. With a background in creative writing, marketing, and teaching, Cher knows how to spot both the storytelling genius and the guilty pleasures in pop culture. Her work blends wit with insight, making readers feel like they’re chatting with a friend who just happens to know way too much about TV.
As the revival of one of Disney's most beloved '90s animated series, the crown jewel of superhero animation is returning to Disney+ in just a few weeks with new episodes. When X-Men: The Animated Series debuted in 1992, the series quickly redefined the Marvel universe and became one of their most successful TV shows of the era. Running for five seasons, when Disney acquired Marvel entertainment, re-establishing the animated X-Men universe felt like an important step forward. Ushering in X-Men '97 was an exciting development, and the series has quickly become one of the modern era's best superhero TV shows.
Ahead of its 2024 debut, viewers were somewhat skeptical of X-Men '97, as it seemed to aim to achieve something that nostalgia-driven revivals rarely do. Recapturing the magic of X-Men: The Animated Series didn't seem like a likely endeavor, but by building on the foundation that the original series provided, the Disney+ series has been able to cash in on the nostalgia factor while making something exciting, fresh, and new. The series garnered widespread critical acclaim, and viewers were happy to see X-Men '97 in a way that went beyond a refresh of plots, instead recapturing and rejuvenating the story.
With X-Men '97 season 1's end focusing on a series of huge cliffhangers that scattered the group across a long-spanning timeline, the upcoming season will provide much-needed answers to what's coming next. With more already in development, X-Men '97 doesn't seem to show any signs of stalling or slowing down.
One of the biggest questions surrounding X-Men '97 season 2 has been about quality — namely, whether the series can maintain the high standard that it established in its first season. The series was quick to find its footing and, while it had the foundation of the original animated series to build on, X-Men '97 was able to build its own identity with its animation style, its emotional storytelling, and its in-depth character work. The series steadily improved in quality all season, setting itself up for high standards with its second season. Thankfully, X-Men '97 season 2 should deliver.
Early reviews for X-Men '97 season 2 from Rotten Tomatoes have been clear that the show's quality is only getting better as it continues, and viewers should be excited for what's to come. With some sharing that the show is just as interesting as its inaugural season, X-Men '97 seems to avoid the sophomore slump as it continues to follow its characters across multiple timelines, creating a blend of styles and stories wrapped up in the same series. It seems that X-Men '97 will be bringing the same large-scale comic book storytelling and emotional depth that it did starting out.
Marvel and Disney+'s confidence in X-Men '97 has been exciting to see, as the platform has already made the decision to make more of the show ahead of its second season. X-Men '97 season 3 was confirmed long before there was even a premiere date for the second season, making it clear that there's a ton of faith rallying behind the series to perform well and continue at a high standard. The early renewal is a great sign for X-Men '97 season 2, as well, as it clarifies that there's some exciting storytelling to come with the upcoming season.
With such a broad outlook for X-Men '97 from executives and an excitement surrounding what's to come from viewers, the show feels like a stable, sustainable part of the streamers' foreseeable future. Propelling one of Marvel's flagship TV properties forward, X-Men '97 gets the chance to return with a chance to reclaim its rightful place as a pinnacle of superhero television in just a few weeks time.
