As a seasoned movie critic with decades of experience under my belt, I have seen the industry from its grittiest back alleys to its glittering red carpets. The latest drama surrounding X-Men ’97 showrunner Beau DeMayo is as intriguing as it is troubling.
Approximately five months after Beau DeMayo, the showrunner for Marvel Studios’ X-Men ’97, was unexpectedly let go, insider details from behind the scenes have started to surface. On a recent Thursday, DeMayo shared on his social media platform a screenshot of an artwork depicting him as a bare-chested Cyclops wearing speedos. He explained that he posted it in celebration of Pride Month in June, and just the next day, June 13th, Marvel Studios informed him they would be removing his credit from Season 2 of X-Men ’97. DeMayo then alleged this incident was part of a concerning trend he experienced while working with Marvel on both X-Men ’97 and Blade, suggesting that there were issues behind the scenes.
A short while after this, Marvel Studios shared a statement with The Hollywood Reporter concerning DeMayo’s dismissal. According to them, DeMayo was let go from X-Men ’97 and Blade due to an extensive internal investigation that allegedly uncovered serious misbehavior. At the moment, no specifics about the reasons for his termination or the internal investigations have been disclosed. However, sources familiar with the matter told THR that it involved accusations of inappropriate sexual conduct.
It’s said that DeMayo and Marvel supposedly came to an agreement regarding his posts about the show, but after this settlement, he brought up the fact that he hadn’t been invited to the Primetime Emmy Awards, even though X-Men ’97 was nominated for Outstanding Animated Program. Subsequently, due to these breaches, his credit for season two was taken away. Marvel Studios stated:
“In March 2024, Mr. DeMayo’s employment at Marvel ended due to the results of an internal inquiry. The seriousness of the evidence uncovered led us to cut ties with him straight away, and since then, he has had no more connection with Marvel.”
DeMayo recently posted about the story, tagging it with the caption: “The truth will be unveiled. Following their debacle on Disney Plus, Marvel appears to be attempting to deceive with claims of contract violations over tweets. It’s unfortunate that it has come to this, but unfortunately predictable. Keep an eye out for updates.” This tactic, according to DeMayo, is “business as usual” for Disney-Marvel.
The Drama Behind the Scenes of X-Men ‘97
On March 12, 2024, a day prior to the world premiere of X-Men ’97 at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles, California, Beau DeMayo was let go from the project. The first two episodes were set to air on Disney+ just two weeks later. After receiving rave reviews, with some praising it as one of Marvel’s best projects yet, fans became increasingly curious about the events unfolding behind the scenes of X-Men ’97. The episode dedicated to X-Men ’97 on Marvel Studios Assembled premiered on Disney+ on May 22, 2024. Notably absent from this special were any interviews with Beau DeMayo, and it seemed as though his involvement in the series was entirely omitted.
Although DeMayo was let go from X-Men ’97, he often interacted with fans on social media, discussing each episode as they were broadcasted and even after it ended, he expressed joy over the positive reviews it received. Lately, DeMayo has proposed an idea for a Wesley Snipes-centered Blade 4, following the actor’s reprisal of the character in Deadpool & Wolverine. Given his involvement with Marvel Studios’ upcoming Blade reboot, speculation about the tension between DeMayo and Marvel/Disney is likely to escalate further in the coming days.
X-Men ’97
Season 1 is available to stream on Disney+.
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2024-08-16 15:02