Marvel has responded to X-Men '97 showrunner Beau DeMayo's firing allegations.
It was reported in March that DeMayo and Marvel had "suddenly parted ways", with the show's cast and crew having been informed he was "no longer on the project" after his company email was deactivated. It has not been confirmed why DeMayo was let go.
The executive producer released a statement on Instagram on Thursday (August 15), five months after his firing, claiming he was "stripped" of his season two credits after he posted X-Men-themed fan art in honour of Pride Month.
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"Firstly, I'm so grateful to have worked on #XMen97, collaborating with some amazingly talented folks. Creating the revival was a dream come true and the support fans have shown is so touching. However, I felt it pressing for me to speak up in the wake of leaving the show," the post began.
"On the next slide is #XMen fan-art I posted on Instagram for Gay Pride in June. On June 13, #Marvel sent a letter notifying me that they'd stripped my Season 2 credits due to the post. Sadly, this is the latest in a troubling pattern I suffered through while working on #XMen97 and #Blade."
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DeMayo concluded: "I'll have more to say soon but must take a step back from social media to find a safer space for me to be out, proud, and nerdy."
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Marvel has now issued a statement to The Hollywood Reporter in response to DeMayo's claims, saying: "Mr. DeMayo was terminated in March 2024 following an internal investigation. Given the egregious nature of the findings, we severed ties with him immediately, and he has no further affiliation with Marvel."
DeMayo took to X (formerly Twitter) on August 16 to respond to the studio's statement, writing: "The truth will be revealed. After their Disney Plus disaster, Marvel wants to mislead with alleged contract breaches over tweets. It's tragic it's come to this but unsurprising. Stay tuned."
He later added: "This is their [sic] Disney-Marvel's usual playbook. Legal letters as well as other items to prove their long-standing pattern to follow. It's about finding a safe outlet. Thanks for your faith and patience."
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X-Men '97 is a continuation of the classic '90s series X-Men: The Animated Series, which reunites some voice actors from the original for new adventures in the X-Mansion.
The cast features Cal Dodd as Wolverine, Catherine Disher as Jean, Lenore Zann as Rogue, George Buza as Beast, Alison Sealy-Smith as Storm, Chris Potter as Gambit, Christopher Britton as Mr Sinister and Adrian Hough as Nightcrawler.
The sequel was first announced in November 2021, and its first season premiered in March 2024 to rave reviews from critics.
X-Men '97 is available to stream on Disney+.
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Sara is an entertainment journalist who specialises in TV and film. After studying journalism at the University of Roehampton, Sara joined Digital Spy in 2023, writing news (and the occasional feature) on all things entertainment. She has also written for the culture desk at The Evening Standard. A lover of all things TV and film, Sara can wax lyrical about everything from Bridgerton to The Witcher. She can also recite entire episodes of New Girl, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks and Recreation. In her spare time, Sara loves to knit, crochet and cross-stitch. Also a musical theatre aficionado, Sara counts Samantha Barks as one of her heroes and is a loyal fan of Jodie Comer.
