'X-Men '97' Is Bringing Back That 90s Animated Superhero Goodness

At first glance, “X-Men ’97” might seem like a fairly niche nostalgia play, just serving up a fresh batch of that 90s animated X-Men series that low-key slapped harder than anybody expected. But this blast from the past could offer some serious clues about where Marvel’s headed next with their newly reacquired X-Men and Fantastic Four franchises.

A Total Blast From the Past That Could Low-Key Preview Marvel’s Future

Yeah, the concept is definitely pandering to the nostalgia crowd – picking up riiiight where that iconic 90s X-Men ‘toon left off after over 30 years on ice. But with Marvel finally getting the film rights to the X-Men and Fantastic Four back in their clutches after that monumental Disney/Fox merger in 2019, this retro animated revivallow-key has folks speculating about how it could foreshadow Marvel’s future big screen X-Men and FF adaptations.

Striking the Perfect Balance for Die-Hards and Casual Fans Alike

See, part of what made that original ’92 X-Men series such an unlikely smash hit was its ability to stay uncompromisingly true to the source material in a way that appeased the hardcore comic die-hards, while still being engaging and accessible enough to totally rope in casual viewers who couldn’t tell Xavier from Magneto.

Despite getting slapped with that super kid-friendly Saturday morning timeslot, the ‘toon resonated hard with teens and adults thanks to its mature storytelling and willingness to get shockingly dark and real with the social outcast/minority metaphors at the core of the X-Men mythology. No cheapie condescending here!

Reviving An Unlikely Hit That Wasn’t Supposed to Work (But Totally Did)

Which is especially wild considering nobody and their momma expected an X-Men cartoon to pop off like that back in ’92. As the head writer put it, “almost nobody in Hollywood” thought a series about Marvel’s mutant underdogs could possibly work.

Thank god for that visionary MVP Margaret Loesch, who fought hard to get it greenlit while heading up the Fox Kids network. Her gamble paid off in spades as the show’s fearless translation of the X-Gene metaphor for feeling like an outcast resonated massively across age groups.

While just a streaming series, “X-Men ’97’s” surprising ability to appeal to everybody from comic diehards to casual viewers could hold major lessons for Marvel as they pivot to incorporating the X-Men and FF into their next phase of big-screen world-building, the unmistakable 90s animation style and that iconic theme song already have fans ultra-hyped and nostalgic.

After a rough recent spell of some admittedly lackluster releases, Marvel’s gotta find that special sauce again to get mainstream audiences AND die-hard fans equally amped for their next explosion of new X-content across theaters and Disney+. Studying why this retro cult favorite worked so unexpectedly well all those years ago just might give them the keys to unlocking the X-Factor they need.