While preparations for Avengers: Doomsday go on, Disney has now confirmed a three-part X-Men comeback that’s the perfect primer for Doomsday. Despite going through many struggles since Avengers: EndgameThe Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand on both TV and film, although it is still more popular on the latter. At the time of writing, the MCU is preparing for the release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day in July 2026 and Avengers: Doomsday in December 2026.
Avengers: Doomsday is the MCU’s next massive crossover event and the first since Final game. As such Doomsday will gather most of the remaining original Avengers, New Avengersheroes like Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) and Ant-Man (Paul Rudd), Fox’s X-Men and more. However, before their long-awaited appearance in Doomsdaywhich will be their first proper appearance in the MCU’s multiverse, the X-Men return in X-Men ’97.
Although not part of the MCU’s TV shows, X-Men ’97 is one of the best animated tv series in recent years, not just in the superhero genre, but in general. X-Men ’97 debuted on Disney+ in 2024 and has since become a critical success, as well as a hit with mainstream audiences and fans of the famous mutants. Now Disney has officially confirmed their return in an exciting three-part release ahead of Avengers: Doomsday.
X-Men ’97 returns with a 3-part premiere
Created by Beau DeMayo, X-Men ’97 is a revival of the classic TV show from the 1990s X-Men: The Animated Seriesthus continuing the stories of the characters from that show. X-Men ’97 takes place a year after the end of the original show, where Professor Charles Xavier nearly dies in an assassination attempt and is taken to space to be cured. The remaining X-Men must now face new challenges without their mentor and under the leadership of none other than Magneto.
Season 1 of X-Men ’97 saw the team encounter Bastion and his Sentinel program, and by the end of the season, the X-Men were scattered throughout time. So their mission for Season 2 is to find their way back to their 1990 timeline to stop the Apocalypse. X-Men ’97 season 2 is set for a July 1, 2026 release on Disney+, and the studio has now confirmed a three-part premiere, starting with the episode “Days of Past Future.”
The second episode is titled “A Force To Be Reckoned With” and the third is “Rise of Apocalypse – Part 1” which is sure to leave the audience with a cliffhanger. Like Season 1, X-Men ’97 season 2 has a weekly release schedule, with the final episode releasing on August 12, 2026. Disney knew exactly what it was doing by having part 1 of “Rise of Apocalypse” as the third part of a three-episode premiere, making the return to X-Men ’97 even more exciting.
Why X-Men ’97 is a perfect pre-Avengers: Doomsday watch
X-Men ’97 is not only a perfect watch for fans of the title mutant team and superhero animated shows in general, but it is also the perfect preparation for Avengers: Doomsday. The confirmation of the MCU’s multiverse has allowed other studios’ universes to be integrated, as happened with Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man movie, and Fox’s X-Men were eventually confirmed to be part of the multiverse as well.
Although an alternate version of Patrick Stewart’s Professor X made a brief appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessthe original X-Men team from Fox’s films has not appeared in the MCU – until now. Doomsday will be their official return, although it is still unknown exactly what their role in the story will be. Until then, X-Men ’97 is the perfect show to watch before Doomsdaygiving viewers a good idea of what to expect from the mutants in the upcoming crossover event.
Fortunately, X-Men ’97 has a bright future beyond the upcoming second season, as it is already confirmed to continue with a third and fourth season expected to be released in 2027 and 2028. Although X-Men ’97 isn’t an official MCU show, it’s just as important as those within the sacred timeline.
- Publication date
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March 20, 2024
- Network
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Disney+
- Directors
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Jake Castorena, Emi Yonemura, Chase Conley
- Authors
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Charlie Feldman, Anthony Sellitti, Beau DeMayo, JB Ballard
