The long-awaited Marvel Animation Panel at New York Comic-Con just revealed the first new information about one of Marvel’s most anticipated projects of 2026. The first look for X-Men ‘97 Season 2 is finally here, showing the arrival of the Age of Apocalypse in the hit animated series. While the studio did not announce a firm official release date for X-Men ‘97 Season 2, it did confirm that it’s coming in Summer 2026. The new information had fans in attendance on their feet, as X-Men fans from around the world are eager to see the next chapter in Marvel Animation’s lovable band of mutants.
X-Men ‘97 Season 1 took the world by storm upon its release in 2024. The series was the first Marvel project to earn a 99% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, which makes it the highest-rated Marvel project of all time — and it isn’t even set in the MCU. X-Men ‘97 has already been renewed for a third season, and Rogue actor Lenore Zann confirmed to Collider earlier this year that she was due to return to the studio to begin recording lines for Season 3 soon. Fans remain optimistic that the gap between Seasons 2 and 3 will be smaller than Seasons 1 and 2.
Several X-Men ‘97 stars have also expressed their desire to bring the show to the big screen in the form of an animated movie. This first came to light when Storm actor Alison Sealy-Smith admitted she was interested in doing an animated movie, and her co-stars Lenore Zann and A.J. LoCasio later joined the bandwagon. There has been no official announcement from Marvel regarding an animated X-Men movie.
The X-Men Are Coming To Live Action in the MCU
Marvel Studios may be apprehensive about greenlighting an animated X-Men movie, considering the studio is already working on a live-action iteration of Marvel’s mutant family. Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier has already been confirmed to direct the film, but casting has yet to be announced. It was reported earlier this summer that Marvel is eyeing younger talent for its X-Men movie, largely due to its desire to keep the budget from ballooning. It’s unclear when the MCU’s X-Men movie will be released, but a safe bet is that it isn’t coming anytime before Secret Wars in 2027.
via Collider