Former X-Men ’97 Showrunner Beau DeMayo And Marvel Are Feuding Over What Led To The Writer’s Dismissal And More, Here’s What We Know

Former X-Men ’97 Showrunner Beau DeMayo And Marvel Are Feuding Over What Led To The Writer’s Dismissal And More, Here’s What We Know

As a seasoned legal observer and entertainment enthusiast, I find myself deeply intrigued by this unfolding drama involving Beau DeMayo and Disney. With years of experience in the courtroom and a keen eye for Hollywood happenings, I can’t help but see parallels between this saga and a classic Shakespearean tragedy.


Prior to the premiere of X-Men ’97 on Disney+ in March, it became known that showrunner Beau DeMayo had been let go from the popular Marvel series. Since then, DeMayo has often shared about his work on the sequel to X-Men: The Animated Series, discussing episodes like “Remember It” and confirming that he wrote a significant portion of Season 2. He also stated he wouldn’t have a large role in the production or creative direction of the show, but the reasons behind DeMayo’s departure from X-Men ’97 remain largely unclear.

The situation is shifting now, as posts DeMayo shared on X (previously known as Twitter) have led to more transparency about what may have caused his departure from the Emmy-nominated X-Men ’97, and also information about the consequences that followed after his dismissal. Here’s a summary of the latest updates we currently have.

Former X-Men ’97 Showrunner Beau DeMayo And Marvel Are Feuding Over What Led To The Writer’s Dismissal And More, Here’s What We Know

Beau DeMayo Shares Fan Art That Allegedly Got Him In Trouble

Everything kicked off when Beau DeMayo appeared on X-Men ’97, the night of Thursday, August 16th. He had created some fan art for Pride Month back in June, depicting himself as Cyclops, albeit mostly bare with just parts of Scott Summers’ uniform remaining. DeMayo was thankful for his involvement in X-Men ’97 and the opportunity to work alongside exceptionally gifted individuals. He considered it a dream come true and expressed gratitude towards the fans for their backing. In his subsequent post, he added:

The piece of fan art featuring X-Men characters that I shared on Instagram during Pride Month was flagged by Marvel, resulting in them removing my credit for Season 2. This unfortunate incident is part of a concerning trend I’ve experienced while working on X-Men ’97 and Blade projects.

DeMayo, who has contributed to an episode of Moon Knight and is also working on the script for the upcoming Blade film, expressed in a third post that he will share more information soon but needs to temporarily retreat from social media to discover a secure environment where he can openly be himself as a gay, proud nerd.

Former X-Men ’97 Showrunner Beau DeMayo And Marvel Are Feuding Over What Led To The Writer’s Dismissal And More, Here’s What We Know

Disney Releases Statement About “Egregious” Findings

A short while following Beau DeMayo posting on X, THR obtained a formal statement from Marvel Studios indicating that the writer/executive producer’s actions led to his dismissal from X-Men ’97 and removal of Season 2 credits. According to the studio, this was due to his conduct.

In March 2024, Mr. DeMayo was let go from Marvel after a thorough internal examination due to the seriousness of the results. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, we ended our relationship with him promptly, and he is now disconnected from Marvel.

According to additional sources who spoke with THR, it appears that after DeMayo departed from “X-Men ’97”, a settlement was made between the two parties regarding his tweets about the show. This is significant because during Season 1 of the show, DeMayo was quite active on Twitter. As a consequence, his credit for Season 2 was taken away. Furthermore, sources also hinted that DeMayo’s dismissal from what could potentially become one of the greatest animated TV shows ever made was due to allegations of sexual misconduct. In response to Marvel’s statement, DeMayo posted on X-Men related platforms.

As a long-time Marvel fan and someone who has closely followed their journey, I can’t help but feel a sense of disillusionment as the latest developments unfold. After the disappointing launch of Disney Plus, it seems that Marvel is now resorting to allegations of contract breaches over tweets – a move that, while not entirely surprising given the high stakes in the entertainment industry, is still unfortunate and saddening for fans like myself who have grown up with these characters. It’s a reminder that even our beloved franchises are not immune to corporate squabbles and power plays. I can only hope that this situation will be resolved amicably and quickly, so we can all continue to enjoy the stories that have brought us so much joy over the years. In the meantime, I’ll be keeping a close eye on developments and crossing my fingers for a positive outcome.

As a gamer putting it in my own words, I’d say: “I can’t believe the situation Beau DeMayo is talking about! It seems like Jeffrey J. Piccolo is battling Disney over a tragic incident that happened back in February. His wife, Dr. Kanokporn Tangsuan, passed away after consuming allergenic food at a Walt Disney World restaurant. Apparently, he’s suing Disney Parks and Resorts due to this unfortunate event. However, Disney is counter-arguing that when Piccolo signed up for the free trial of Disney+ in 2019, he agreed to their terms of service, which apparently bars him from taking legal action against them.”

Former X-Men ’97 Showrunner Beau DeMayo And Marvel Are Feuding Over What Led To The Writer’s Dismissal And More, Here’s What We Know

Beau DeMayo Is Reported To Have Engaged In Sexual Misconduct

The following day, an article by Jeff Sneider from The InSneider (via SuperheroHype) claimed that Marvel dismissed Beau DeMayo due to his actions. It is said that he shared photographs of himself in different stages of undress, posing suggestively in superhero costumes, which could potentially serve as inspiration for the X-Men 97 team. Moreover, DeMayo reportedly made inappropriate physical contact with an assistant and was both physically and verbally abusive towards his colleagues.

According to Sneider’s report, given the current circumstances and recent developments, Marvel has claimed DeMayo’s executive producer role for the second season of X-Men ’97. It’s important to note that Marvel can’t remove his writing credits, but it seems that the team working on the next episodes is rewriting a majority of them, with Matthew Chauncey overseeing this process as he was hired to write Season 3. However, please remember that none of this information has been verified yet.

Former X-Men ’97 Showrunner Beau DeMayo And Marvel Are Feuding Over What Led To The Writer’s Dismissal And More, Here’s What We Know

Beau DeMayo’s Lawyer Accuses Disney Of “Gaslighting” His Client

The most recent development regarding this story has been shared by Bryan Freedman, the lawyer for Beau DeMayo. Unlike addressing the accusations leveled against his client, Freedman labeled Disney’s actions as “illegal” in a statement to Deadline, claiming they were unlawful.

With a wealth of experience at Disney, the approach remains consistent. On the surface, it maintains a family-friendly image. However, beneath this facade, there’s an undercurrent of efforts to discreetly insert unlawful, morally questionable terms into contracts. These terms often aim to muzzle truth and prevent employees or customers from exercising their fundamental constitutional rights.

I’ve found myself in this situation before, going head-to-head with Disney. Previously, I represented Sage Steele, a former ESPN broadcaster, in a lawsuit against them. Now, I find myself standing up for DeMayo in another battle against this media giant.

Disney’s approach, which we will illustrate using specific instances, can be quite transparent and seems to follow a recurring pattern that borders on illegality. When this model is questioned or unmasked, a defensive tactic often employed involves gaslighting and shifting the blame onto those who speak out about wrongdoings. This process is executed through an efficient global public relations machine.

Bryan Freedman concluded by stating that Beau DeMayo is seeking nothing more than honesty from Marvel/Disney, and he courageously intends to speak the truth. Likewise, I will do so as well. We stand together.

As a longtime Marvel fan with years of comic book knowledge under my belt, I can confidently say that I eagerly await more updates regarding Beau DeMayo’s feud with Marvel. However, in the meantime, I find myself constantly curious about what other upcoming Marvel TV shows are brewing on Disney+. Given my passion for Marvel stories and characters, I am particularly excited to see how the second and third seasons of X-Men ’97 unfold. But for those days when I need a break from the superhero world, I like to look ahead at the 2024 TV schedule for some non-Marvel programming that catches my eye.

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2024-08-17 00:37