‘X-Men ’97’ Sets Streaming Record for Marvel Studios

‘X-Men ’97’ debuted last week on Disney+ with its first two episodes, and the initial reactions are fantastic. The series premiered with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics dubbing it the “Best Marvel release in years.” Metacritic also gave the show a high score of 82, indicating “Universal acclaim” – a rare achievement for recent Marvel Studios projects.

The series capitalizes on its strongest aspect: being a direct continuation of ‘X-Men: The Animated Series.’ It strives to maintain the essence of the original characters and animation while presenting a more mature and “raw” storyline than what audiences typically expect.

‘X-Men ’97’ racked up four million views in its first five days on Disney+. Disney heralds this as the most-watched Season 1 premiere for a full-length animated series on the platform since Marvel’s ‘What If…?’ premiered in 2021, outperforming shows like ‘Iwájú’ and ‘The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.’ Animated shorts like ‘Star Wars: Visions,’ ‘I Am Groot,’ and ‘Zootopia+’ are not included in this count.

The series is a revival of the beloved ‘X-Men: The Animated Series,’ which aired from 1992 to 1997, continuing the storyline from where the original left off. Following the loss of their leader, Professor X, the X-Men confront fresh challenges. Produced by Marvel Studios Animation, Beau DeMayo was initially the head writer for the first two seasons before being dismissed shortly before the Season 1 premiere, with Jake Castorena serving as supervising director.

Returning cast members such as Cal Dodd and Lenore Zann, among others, reprise their roles or voice new characters. This marks Marvel Studios’ first X-Men project since reclaiming the rights to the characters, with animation by Studio Mir in a modernized version of the original series’ style.

Additionally, the show is already in early development for a third season and has a second season currently in production. Got anything to add? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!

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