It was recently revealed that some of the creative team behind X-Men: The Animated Series had pitched the idea of reviving the classic show for the Disney+ streaming service. This has sent the Internet into a frenzy of speculation and conversation over what could happen with the animated series next.
There's been no confirmation that Disney will be moving forward with this concept, but people are falling on both sides of the argument. Some feel that it would be fantastic to revive such a beloved show, while others are less sure that this would be a good thing to do. We take a look at 5 reasons why the series should absolutely make comeback and 5 reasons why it shouldn't.
10 SHOULDN'T: OPEN THE FLOODGATES
To start off, it could be potentially dangerous for the industry to bring back this beloved franchise. If Disney decides to make that decision, then where does it end? The film and television industry is already littered with hundreds of sequels, remakes, and spin-offs. If Disney chooses to revive this animated classic, why would they stop there?
Fans would start demanding the return of other favorites from the past. The first one on the list would, of course, be Spider-Man: The Animated Series, but it likely wouldn't stop there! If Disney wants to make their new platform a success, they need to do more than rely on nostalgia acts. They need to move forward with brand-new content that could become classics one day. Fans might end up coming to love a new series more than going back to old ones that don't feel the same, especially when they start doing that with every classic.
9 SHOULD: THEME SONG
One of the most memorable things about this animated series is, of course, the opening theme tune. While the visuals that accompany it perfectly reflect the episodes you are about to watch, there's something iconic about that music. Created by Ron Wasserman, this theme has far outlived the show and to some, is the official music of anything X-Men-related.
If the series was to return, it would mean we'd finally have an excuse to listen to it every week, as the front credits roll on what are sure to be some amazing new episodes. What's more, it might reintroduce this theme into live action, so once we see mutants in the MCU for the first time, there may be some kind of musical accompaniment that is heavily influenced by this great track.
8 SHOULDN'T: FEELS DATED
The show is very much a product of the '90s, and looking back, it really feels like it. While the episodes hold up and some of the themes are just as relevant today as they were back then, there's something quite dated about the whole thing. Yes, this helps with that nostalgic quality, but there's a fear here that maybe the show should have stayed in the past.
Outside of some ideas that really don't belong in today's era, just the general vibe of the show is old. It's difficult to see how this could translate to the modern day. The creative team would have to make a choice: modernize it in some way and risk fans being turned off from what they loved, or keep it the same and turn away new audiences who feel like they are stuck in the 20th Century.
7 SHOULD: QUALITY OF WRITING
Despite some old references and some unfamiliar concepts, the writing, in general, does stand the test of time on some level. Going back to watch old episodes, they are really enjoyable and there's a clear reason as to why people fell in love with the series to begin with.
What the writing does best is build up these amazing characters and make them feel even more human. Of course, this is aided by some of the other talent involved in the series, but these 5 seasons can find their foundation in the quality of the writing. Without a consistently strong team, it would have fallen apart a lot earlier and we would never have seen some of those amazing, comic-accurate stories that were faithfully and emotionally adapted.
6 SHOULDN'T: UNFAMILIAR TO YOUNGER AUDIENCES
One of the issues with bringing back something old is that some people weren't around for the original. Kids today might not be that interested in a series from the '90s and are quite happy with their modern X-Men shows. Disney would be taking a gamble, as their main audience would essentially be adults who loved the original when they were young.
Unfortunately, this may not be enough for the ratings and the show could flop very quickly. At the end of the day, an animated series like this should be targeted at younger audiences. If they are already behind on the show because they are unfamiliar with it, then they aren't too likely to get into the continuation of it. Yes, they can go back and binge the first 5 seasons on Disney+, but what ten-year-old has the time for that, really?
5 SHOULD: VOICE CAST
Much like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, someone in the casting department really got it right. The voice cast behind these iterations of the comics characters are really talented and match the personas of the individuals well. The series comes to life once you hear the voices of Marvel's heroes and help to realize their personalities a little more.
Professor Xavier always stands out to us above the rest, with his calming voice holding a lot of wisdom and wit. The same can be said for the voices of Storm and Logan, who both capture something unique in the performance; we can still hear them in our heads to this day. This animated project thrived because its cast helped to fully realize the potential of what it could become in the long term.
4 SHOULDN'T: WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO GET THE SAME TEAM
Despite praising the talent involved in realizing this classic part of television history, there is an issue with the people involved that could impact the quality of a new series. It would be very difficult to get all the same people involved again, from writers and voice cast to producers.
Over the years, a lot changes, from moving house to changing careers. All these big differences compared to times gone by could derail a project like this. We don't know how influential each member of this team was, so what happens when one of them is removed from the process? The series we could get instead might be a shell of its former past. For it to all fit, all the cogs have to be in place and all the same talent have to be present.
3 SHOULD: ANIMATION STYLE
Speaking of talent, the incredible individuals behind the animation should obviously get a mention. The visual style of the show was exciting, graphic, and colorful. It took concepts from the pages of the comics and fully realized them on the small screen. The team behind every episode should be proud of what they achieved and it would be great to see more of it.
Perhaps the animation style wouldn't be replicated in the same way if this was brought back because of changing technology as well as the nature of it feeling dated, as mentioned earlier. But the vibe that the animation style delivered helped to bring the show onto a new level that not only delivered emotionally and through it's writing—it also managed to raise the bar visually.
2 SHOULDN'T: LEGACY
After talking about how amazing this show is, it would be a shame for its legacy to be ruined. The show is fondly remembered by fans and maybe it should stay that way. If the series was to be brought back but wasn't nearly as successful as it's predecessor, then it would damage the legacy of the franchise.
It would also be a shame if a newer version of the show actually devalued what came before, showing us what the flaws in it really were. Sometimes, if something is iconic and beloved, you should leave it alone and not touch it or mess with it. It should be left for other generations to seek it out and watch if they wish to and shouldn't have additional features added to it years after the initial release.
1 SHOULD: ADAPT NEW STORIES
Having said all that, there's a lot of new material for the creative team to work with if they are to continue to work on this new project. Since the initial release of the show, a lot has changed in both the world of comics in general and in the X-Men series.
Of course, there would be a lot more cinematic references for the team to work on, but there are also a variety of brilliant new stories that have come from some of Marvel's best writers. With so much potential for another great run of 20 episodes, there might be hope yet that Disney+ could help deliver on the quality that everyone is familiar with after they first watched X-Men: The Animated Series.