A new report suggests that Disney+'s upcoming X-Men: The Animated Series revival, X-Men '97, may have been given a working title that harkens back to its predecessor's 1990s roots.
According to The Cosmic Circus, Marvel's On Your Mark Productions LLC is using the name "Teen Spirit" as a working title for a project, which may be X-Men '97. The name itself is a nod to the Nirvana seminal 1992 song "Smells Like Teen Spirit," and had been previously used as a working title for Dark Phoenix, giving it an older connection to the Children of the Atom.
While plot details for the series are currently under wraps, head writer Beau DeMayo, who also worked on fellow Disney+ and project Moon Knight, explained why helming Marvel Studios' first X-Men-related outing was important. "X-Men means something to a lot of people," DeMayo stated. "There's a weight and a responsibility there, I think, now that it's back at Marvel Studios, that is very different, and that I'm always aware of."
Additionally, DeMayo discussed whether or not the project will be canon to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, commenting, "The one thing I can say towards [X-Men '97 and the MCU] is, I know sometimes we say, 'no comment,' and it's like, 'They're just being obstinate.' I’m gonna go with 'no comment' here because part of the surprise will be finding that out when you experience the show." In regards to if X-Men '97's place in the greater continuity of Marvel Studios would be a mystery in its first season, DeMayo added that the show's fans "will be asking that question."
Announced last in November 2021, X-Men '97 will see the return of many X-Men: The Animated Series voice actors, such as Cal Dodd (Wolverine), Alison Sealy-Smith (Storm) and Chris Potter (Gambit), who will reprise their roles. It was also confirmed by writers Eric and Julia Lewald that Season 1 has 10 episodes and releases in mid-2023, though no specific premiere date for the show was given at the time.
The original X-Men: The Animated Series aired for five seasons before coming to an end in 1997. Prior to the announcement of the revival, it was revealed in 2019 that X-Men's creative team wanted to approach Disney about bringing the show back, with series director and producer Larry Houston remarking, "The one thing we'd like to do more than anything else is to continue where we left off."
X-Men '97 is set to premiere on Disney+ sometime in mid-2023.
Source: The Cosmic Circus