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In an extremely unusual situation, X-Men ’97 showrunner and executive producer Beau DeMayo was fired just before the series premiered on Disney+ on March 20. THR first reported today.
IGN has confirmed with a source close to the situation that THR’s report is accurate and that DeMayo and Marvel have indeed parted ways. While divisions between creatives and studios are not at all uncommon, what’s really strange here is the timing so close to the show’s premiere. THR reports that DeMayo was previously scheduling interviews and planning to attend the red carpet premiere of X-Men ’97 in Hollywood tomorrow.
According to the report, Marvel and DeMayo “suddenly” parted ways early last week, when the cast and crew were also informed of the decision. DeMayo’s Instagram account, where she actively shared updates and communicated with fans, was also deleted.
IGN learned that DeMayo had already completed work on seasons 1 and 2 of X-Men ’97, but will not be involved in the promotional campaign for either installment.
The reason for the firing has not been revealed, but the topic will no doubt be the subject of questions amid the show’s upcoming press tour. IGN has reached out to representatives for Disney and DeMayo for comment.
DeMayo’s relationship with Marvel Studios extended well beyond X-Men ’97, as he wrote for the Disney+ series Moon Knight as well as the long-in-development new film Blade. Outside of Marvel, he also has credits in The Witcher franchise, as he worked on the live-action Netflix show and the animated film The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf.
X-Men ’97, a continuation of the beloved ’90s series X-Men: The Animated Series, will still premiere with two episodes on Disney+ next week. Disney revealed the full list of season 1 episode titles last week.
Alex Stedman is a senior news editor at IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she’s not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.