Plot: A band of mutants use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them; they’re challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future.
X-Men 97 was So Great.
Pros: This series had helped reinvigorate my appetite for the X-men IP. The voice acting was top notch. It’s so full of action & drama. The one that impressed was Morph. I was surprised what they did with the series and their storylines along with there remixing from the opening intros.
Cons: I didn’t like how they use the character Roberto in this series. It does skip story beats a lot. I didn’t care for the romance between Rouge & Erik & some dialogue scenes were cringey to watch.
Genre: Superhero
Created by Beau DeMayo
Based on X-Men by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby
Voiced by
Theme Song Composer: Haim Saban, Shuki Levy
Composer: The Newton Brothers
Executive producers: Brad Winderbaum, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Beau DeMayo
Production companies: Marvel Studios Animation
Network: Disney+
Casts & Characters:
- Ray Chase as Scott Summers / Cyclops:
The mutant field leader of the X-Men whose eyes emit powerful beams of concussive energy. Cyclops is prepared to lead the X-Men after the loss of Charles Xavier, before Magneto takes that role. Chase replaces Cyclops’s original voice actor Norm Spencer, who died in 2020. Chase had not seen the original series when he auditioned, and was provided clips and references for the character’s voice to base his performance on. After being cast, he watched the original series and listened to interviews of Spencer. - Jennifer Hale as Jean Grey:
A powerful telepathic and telekinetic mutant who is married to Cyclops, and was once the host of the cosmic entity Phoenix Force. Her relationship with Cyclops is complicated by Wolverine’s feelings for her. Hale, who previously voiced the character in the television series Wolverine and the X-Men, replaces original series voice actor Catherine Disher, and based her performance on Disher’s voice. Hale also voices Madelyne Pryor / Goblin Queen, a mutant clone of Jean created by Mister Sinister. Madelyne gives birth to Cyclops’s son, Nathan, which further complicates his relationship with Jean. Hale used a slightly different tone when voicing Madelyne to separate her from Jean. - Alison Sealy-Smith as Ororo Munroe / Storm:
A powerful mutant who can control the weather and is described as a “goddess”. Sealy-Smith reprises her role from the original series. She also voices the Adversary, a demon that feeds on negative emotions. - Cal Dodd as Logan / Wolverine:
A hotheaded mutant with a regenerative healing factor, heightened senses, retractable claws, and an adamantium-laced skeleton. Dodd reprises his role from the original series. - J. P. Karliak as Morph:
A mutant metamorph who can change their voice and appearance to that of any person. Morph’s base design has changed from the original series to a “pale, hairless, and blankly-featured” look similar to the version of the character seen in the “Age of Apocalypse” comic book storyline and the Exiles comic book. Morph identifies as non-binary, but the series does not explicitly use that term as it was not common in the 1990s. Karliak replaces Morph’s original voice actor Ron Rubin. He also voices William Stryker, an anti-mutant Christian minister, and the Hulk when Morph shapeshifts into that hero. - Lenore Zann as Rogue:
A mutant who absorbs the memories, powers, and energy of those she touches. The series reveals that Rogue had a secret romantic relationship with Magneto when she was younger, causing friction in her current relationship with Gambit. Zann reprises her role from the original series. - George Buza as Dr. Henry “Hank” McCoy / Beast:
A blue-furred mutant genius with superhuman strength and agility. Buza reprises his role from the original series. - A. J. LoCascio as Remy LeBeau / Gambit:
A mutant and former thief who can charge objects with explosive kinetic energy, including his signature playing cards. Gambit’s actions in the early episodes—including wearing a crop top and taking his shirt off, and his relationship with Rogue—were intended to endear the audience to him before his death at the end of the fifth episode. LoCascio replaces Gambit’s original voice actor Chris Potter. - Holly Chou as Jubilation Lee / Jubilee:
The youngest member of the X-Men who can create firework-like explosions. Chou replaces Jubilee’s original voice actor Alyson Court, who previously said she would not reprise the role and would prefer that an Asian-American actor take it. Court instead voices Abscissa, an older version of Jubilee from the “Motendo” video game world. - Isaac Robinson-Smith as Lucas Bishop:
A mutant from a dystopian future with the ability to absorb kinetic energy and redirect it into concussive blasts. Robinson-Smith replaces Bishop’s original voice actor Philip Akin. Robinson-Smith also voices T’Chaka / Black Panther, the king of Wakanda. - Matthew Waterson as Erik “Magnus” Lehnsherr / Magneto:
A powerful mutant who controls magnetism. Magneto is given control of the X-Men in the last will and testament of Charles Xavier. Waterson replaces Magneto’s original voice actor David Hemblen, who died in 2020. - Ross Marquand as Professor Charles Xavier:
The founder of the X-Men who was taken to space to be healed by the Shi’ar Empire following an assassination attempt. Marquand replaces Xavier’s original voice actor Cedric Smith. Coincidentally, both actors previously provided the voice for Marvel villain Red Skull in different projects. Marquand also voices Doctor Doom, the leader of Latveria who is a member of “Operation: Zero Tolerance” (OZT); and Apocalypse, one of the first mutants who is thousands of years old, replacing John Colicos and James Blendick who voiced the character in the original series. - Adrian Hough as Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler:
A Catholic, blue mutant with teleporting abilities and prehensile hands and feet. Hough reprises his role from the original series in X-Men ’97, which includes the character’s playfulness from the comics. Hough also voices Strong Guy, a mutant who can channel kinetic energy into physical strength.
Recurring guests in the first season include Gui Agustini as Roberto da Costa / Sunspot, a young mutant rescued by the X-Men who can channel solar energy;[20] Catherine Disher—who voiced Jean Grey in the original series—as Dr. Valerie Cooper, a United Nations official and ally of the X-Men; Gavin Hammon as Sentinel creator Dr. Bolivar Trask, replacing original voice actor Brett Halsey, as well as Shi’ar chancellor Lord Araki; Eric Bauza as the Master Mold supercomputer and the mutant-hunting Sentinels, replacing original voice actor David Fox who died in 2021; Donna Jay Fulks as news reporter Trish Tilby, as well as the mutants Tommy and Amelia Voght (replacing Amelia’s original voice actor Susan Roman); Christopher Britton as Dr. Nathaniel Essex / Mister Sinister, a genetic scientist from Victorian era-London who has enhanced himself using mutant DNA, reprising his role from the original series; Gil Birmingham as Forge, a mutant who can invent advanced technology, replacing original voice actor Marc Strange who died in 2012; Christine Uhebe as Roberto’s mother Nina da Costa; Chris Potter—who voiced Gambit in the original series—as Nathan Summers / Cable, the son of Cyclops and Madelyne Pryor who was taken to the future as an infant after being infected with a techno-organic virus; Theo James as Bastion, a human-machine hybrid planning a human utopia where mutants are enslaved whose parents were background characters in the original series episode “One Man’s Worth“; and Ron Rubin—who voiced Morph in the original series—as U.S. president Robert Kelly, replacing original voice actor Len Carlson who died in 2006.
Actors who voice multiple characters in the season include Todd Haberkorn, who voices former government agent Henry Peter Gyrich who attempted to assassinate Xavier, replacing Gyrich’s original voice actor Barry Flatman; and Ronan the Accuser, a high-ranking member of the Kree Empire. David Errigo Jr. voices Leech, a young Morlock who can nullify other mutants’ powers, replacing original voice actor John Stocker; Mojo, an interdimensional media mogul from the Mojoverse who uses the X-Men to fuel his power, replacing original voice actor Peter Wildman;[34] Sean Cassidy / Banshee, an Irish mutant with a sonic scream who serves on the council of Genosha, replacing original actor Phillip Williams; and Gladiator, the Strontian leader of the Shi’ar Imperial Guard, replacing original voice actor Richard Eden. Courtenay Taylor voices Callisto, the leader of the Morlocks, replacing original voice actor Susan Roman; and Illyana Rasputina / Magik / Darkchylde, a mutant sorcerer, replacing original voice actor Tara Strong. Martha Marion voices Emma Frost, a former member of the Inner Circle Club who now serves on the council of Genosha, replacing original voice actor Tracey Moore; and Dr. Moira MacTaggert, a Scottish geneticist who serves on the council of Genosha, replacing original voice actor Lally Cadeau.
Additional guest stars include Lawrence Bayne, who voiced Cable in the original series, as Carl Denti / X-Cutioner, the leader of the anti-mutant group Friends of Humanity; Kimberly Woods as Bishop’s younger sister Shard, replacing original voice actor Kay Tremblay; Abby Trott as Spiral, Mojo’s personal assistant, replacing original voice actor Cynthia Belliveau who retired in 2002; Travis Willingham as Sebastian Shaw, a former member of the Inner Circle Club who now serves on the council of Genosha, replacing original voice actor David Bryant; Morla Gorrondonna as Lilandra Neramani, the empress of the Shi’ar Empire, replacing original voice actor Camilla Scott; Cari Kabinoff as Deathbird, the sister to Lilandra; Jeff Bennett as Ford, the da Costa family’s butler; Kari Wahlgren as Bastion’s mother Rose; Anjali Bhimani as Bastion’s assistant Daria; Rama Vallury as Baron Zemo, a member of OZT; Gates McFadden as Mother Askani, leader of a clan in a desolate future; and Adetokumboh M’Cormack as En Sabah Nur, a younger version of Apocalypse living in Ancient Egypt.
Josh Keaton and Michael Patrick McGill reprise their respective roles as Steve Rogers / Captain America and Thunderbolt Ross from the series What If…? (2021–present). Bayne voiced Captain America in the original series. Characters that make non-speaking appearances in the first season include Spider-Man, Silver Samurai, Omega Red, Iron Man, Daredevil, Doctor Strange, Cloak and Dagger and Mary Jane Watson. In the future that Cable is trying to prevent, older versions of Rachel Summers and Polaris are seen.
I Highly recommend watching this series on Disney+.
Rating: 10 out of 10 Stars
Ryan Balkwill:
Resident TV reviewer,
Level Best Art Cafe