As we're getting closer to the release of X-Men '97, some fans are still wondering whether the animated series is canon to the MCU.
Considering that the show is produced by the Marvel Animation division of Marvel Studios, there have been questions regarding whether it's connected to the MCU or is a separate project.
The new series will serve as a continuation of the classic X-Men: The Animated Series from the 1990s but with an updated animation style and a modern perspective on the beloved mutants.
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Is X-Men '97 Part of the MCU?
X-Men '97 showrunner Beau DeMayo was asked by a fan through a Q&A on his Instagram account whether the new series is canon to the MCU.
He replied, "We are our own thing," confirming that it won't have any connection at all to the cinematic universe.
While What If...? was reliant on its connectivity to the MCU with its multiversal storytelling, X-Men '97 is only a direct sequel to the '90s animated show and is part of a standalone universe of its own.
Fans who want to catch up ahead of the premiere next month will need to watch all 76 22-minute episodes of X-Men: The Animated Series to understand the story of the new series.
Ever since Disney acquired Fox in 2019, there has been a lot of anticipation for the mutants' integration into the MCU which we've only seen small glimpses of in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and The Marvels.
Despite X-Men '97 not being part of the MCU canon, it will be Marvel Studios' first production featuring the team and our first glimpse at how they are handling the mutants under their purview.
Later this year, fans will get a bigger taste of the X-Men with the release of Deadpool and Wolverine which will bring back several actors from the Fox movies and connect them into the MCU multiverse.
X-Men '97 is set to premiere on Disney+ this March 20.
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