Kevin Feige Had Two Conditions Before He Decided to Greenlight ‘X-Men ‘97’: “Fortunately, We Were Able to Do That”

‘X-Men ’97’ premiered yesterday on Disney+ with its first two episodes, and initial reactions have been overwhelmingly positive. The show debuted with a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics hailing it as the “Best Marvel release in years.” Metacritic also awarded the show a high score of 82, signifying “Universal acclaim,” a rare achievement for recent Marvel Studios projects.

The series capitalizes on its biggest strength: being a direct continuation of ‘X-Men: The Animated Series.’ It strives to emulate the characters and animation of its predecessor while presenting a more mature and “raw” plot compared to typical Marvel fare.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Brad Winderbaum disclosed that Kevin Feige had two specific requirements before approving the show.

Alright, if we can get the [original] cast and we can get the song, let’s do it.’ And fortunately, we were able to do that.

Feige recognized that for such a project to succeed, it needed to tap into nostalgia and capture the essence that made the original show great and unforgettable.

The show’s creators successfully met Feige’s criteria. The announcement of the new series saw the return of many original voice actors from the previous series, including Cal Dodd as Wolverine, Lenore Zann as Rogue, George Buza as Beast, Catherine Disher as Jean Grey, Chris Potter as Gambit, Alison Sealy-Smith as Storm, Adrian Hough as Nightcrawler, Christopher Britton as Mister Sinister, and Alyson Court as Jubilee. Lawrence Bayne and Ron Rubin also returned, with Bayne voicing Cable and Rubin voicing Morph.

While some actors reprised their original roles, others voiced new characters such as Disher as Valerie Cooper, Potter as Cable, Court as Abcissa, Bayne as X-Cutioner, and Rubin as President Robert Edward Kelly.

‘X-Men ’97’ still has 8 episodes left to release, and season 2 is already in production, with the third season in development. Got something to add? Share your thoughts in the comments below!