After the MCU TV universe began back in 2021 with the launch of shows like WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, it has evolved into something much more ambitious five years later. Not only does the wider story of the MCU continue with shows like Loki and Daredevil: Born Again, but there are also independent animated shows fleshing out a different corner of the universe, like Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and Eyes of Wakanda. However, the most popular Marvel animated series to emerge in the last few years is, without question, X-Men ‘97. After the first season of X-Men ‘97 captured the hearts of fans around the world in 2024, Season 2 finally returned this year to keep the momentum going.
X-Men ‘97 fans have little to be concerned about when it comes to the future of the animated show. Not only has it been renewed for Season 3, but it’s also been picked up for Season 4, with work on the fourth season now officially underway. Collider’s Maggie Lovitt recently caught up with Marvel Studios Head of TV and Streaming Brad Winderbaum for an X-Men ‘97 Season 2 finale screening, and when she asked how long the wait would be for Season 3, Winderbaum said, without hesitation, “Season 3 is going to come out next year and Season 4 the year after that,” confirming that Seasons 3 and 4 will premiere in 2027 and 2028, respectively.
He continued, “Even a year feels too long. I remember watching these every single day after school, and then they would be on as reruns. I guess you could rewatch these episodes on streaming, because you can watch anything now.” While the fate of X-Men ‘97 beyond Season 4 has not yet been decided, Winderbaum did tell Collider that “X-Men was a constant element of my life growing up, and I just want to make as many [seasons] as fast as possible for people to see.”
Could ‘X-Men ‘97’ Season 3 Have More Episodes?
There were 10 episodes in the first season of X-Men ‘97, and Season 2 dropped to only nine episodes. The total count for Seasons 3 and 4 has not yet been revealed, but Lovitt asked Winderbaum if there was a chance to see the episode order increased, similar to how X-Men: The Animated Series had seasons with 13 and even 19 episodes. Winderbaum was apprehensive about the idea that future seasons of X-Men ‘97 could have more episodes, not because he doesn’t want to see more, but just because it would take more time to get them released. He told Collider:
“It’s a whole different business now, and streaming has its own limitations. Episode count is always a factor, and sometimes you have to decide, ‘Do you want a season to come out sooner or do you want more episodes?’ I tend to vote to get them out as soon as possible, even if you have to save some stories for subsequent seasons.”
Check out the first two seasons of X-Men ‘97 on Disney+.
via Collider