“The folks didn’t believe X-Men was going to do anything”: Marvel Firing Beau DeMayo Before X-Men ’97 isn’t Surprising Once You Know What Happened to ‘The Animated Series’

X-Men: The Animated Series holds a far worse history, compared to Marvel’s decision of surprisingly firing Beau DeMayo.

In a drastic move, Marvel shockingly fired the X-Men ’97 creator Beau DeMayo on the eve of his project’s debut. Despite being in the midst of a particularly busy time at Marvel Studios, DeMayo was suddenly laid off after his company email was deactivated and his colleagues were informed about his exit from the project.

While Marvel Studios’ decision to fire Beau DeMayo has sent shockwaves through the fandom, this move doesn’t seemingly compare to Fox’s measures in the 1990s. According to reports, in a surprising twist of fate, Fox had taken a critical decision regarding the beloved X-Men: The Animated Series and its crew that still blows people’s minds.

Marvel Surprisingly Fired Beau DeMayo Ahead of X-Men ’97 Release

Premiered on March 20, 2024, with its first two episodes, X-Men ’97 soon took over the internet and created a massive fanbase for itself. Earning global popularity, much like its predecessor X-Men: The Animated Series, the 2024 Marvel show garnered positive reviews and turned into a critically acclaimed series.

But unfortunately, the creator of X-Men ’97, Beau DeMayo failed to celebrate his success under Marvel Studios. According to reports from THR, the showrunner was fired from his position in a surprising turn of events, ahead of his show’s premiere. Marvel informed that the writer-producer, who previously worked on Moon Knight will no longer be promoting X-Men ’97, or moving forward with future seasons.

Despite planning on attending the animated show’s Hollywood premiere on March 13, and even discussing loose ideas for a third season with members of his team, Beau DeMayo was shockingly fired without proper reasoning. DeMayo’s company email was deactivated and even his Instagram account, once a source for X-Men updates, was deleted.

Neither Marvel Studios nor Beau Demayo’s representatives commented on the surprising turn of events. Thereafter, the showrunner’s sudden layoff with no apparent reason sparked outrage among fans. However, on a recent note, while DeMayo’s dismissal sent shockwaves through the internet, Marvel’s move doesn’t appear as surprising as the drastic measures once taken by Fox.

Beau DeMayo’s Lay-Off Seems Pale Compared to Fox’s Drastic Step

According to Assembled: The Making of X-Men ’97 showrunner Eric Lewald and his wife Julia Lewald via Collider, the duo opened up about how Fox had almost jeopardized the future of X-Men: The Animated Series. As per the Lewalds, Fox had fired the entire staff of the 1990s show, after that team created Season 1.

The folks [above] didn’t believe X-Men was going to do anything. Julia Lewald shared.

The entire creative staff was let go in July, August when we finished our work. And then in January when it premiered, suddenly it was this big number one hit. Eric Lewald noted.

Ahead of the release of X-Men: The Animated Series, much like X-Men ’97, Fox had assumed that the show wouldn’t become a hit. This particular thought thus forced the studio to fire the entire team of creative professionals, despite their devotion towards the project. Fox’s drastic measure effectively canceled the show before it even aired.

As per showrunner Eric Lewald and his wife Julia Lewald, Fox executives apparently had no faith in the daring product, since these cartoon ventures weren’t taken seriously. Therefore, Fox compromised with a 13-episode season and tried to avoid a major failure. However, to the studio’s surprise, X-Men: The Animated Series turned into an unprecedented hit.

As the series’ unique tone and style resonated with audiences worldwide, X-Men: The Animated Series witnessed global success, which forced Fox to rehire as many team members as possible. Thereafter, the studio greenlighted The Animated Series for 65 episodes, and the long-standing animated series left an indelible mark on the X-Men franchise.

X-Men: The Animated Series and X-Men ’97 are available on Disney+.