‘EGREGIOUS’

Marvel Rips Fired ‘X-Men ’97’ Showrunner After He Claims Retaliation

The divorce between Beau DeMayo and the Disney-owned studio has been messier than the Cyclops-Wolverine-Jean Grey love triangle.

X-Men ’97 creator Beau DeMayo said his credits were stripped from the show’s still-in-production second season after he posted Pride-themed fan art.

But Disney-owned Marvel shot back, stating the showrunner was fired for “egregious” behavior following an internal investigation, while sources at the company leaked to the media that the probe looked at allegations of “sexual misconduct.”

In a late Thursday post on his Instagram account, DeMayo expressed gratitude for the support he says he received from fans after he departed the show before its March debut on streaming service Disney+. “However, I felt it pressing for me to speak up in the wake of leaving the show,” he added.

‘LOTTA QUESTIONS’

‘X-Men ’97’ Showrunner Breaks Silence After Sudden Exit

Eboni Boykin-Patterson

DeMayo included a Pride-friendly illustration that looks like him styled as the X-Men’s Cyclops and wearing only a chest strap and tight-fitting bottoms in addition to the character’s signature visor.

He originally posted the illustration on June 4 with the caption “Happy Pride! 🌈.” Nine days later, he said Thursday night, “Marvel sent a letter notifying me that they’d stripped my Season 2 credits due to the post.”

Marvel issued a terse response. “Mr. DeMayo was terminated in March 2024 following an internal investigation,” the studio, which was acquired by Disney in 2009, said in a statement. “Given the egregious nature of the findings, we severed ties with him immediately and he has no further affiliation with Marvel.”

Sources told Variety and The Hollywood Reporter that the investigation probed allegations of “sexual misconduct” and that they were a factor in the decision to fire DeMayo.

Before he was let go, DeMayo completed writing on the show’s upcoming second season. Variety reported that DeMayo’s credits on the season were removed due to a breach of a separation agreement.

Marvel and DeMayo did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

Many fans were shocked when DeMayo, whose career is so strongly tied to the X-Men ’97 series that Wikipedia redirects to its page about the show when you search his name, was sacked without explanation earlier this year. He previously wrote on Marvel’s live-action series Moon Knight and drafts of the screenplay for the upcoming Mahershala Ali vampire vehicle Blade.

Upon its release, X-Men ’97 was met with critical acclaim for its design, animation, and vintage feel. The Daily Beast, in its review, was positive if a little more tepid than others.

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Sean Craig

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