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Did queer art get ‘X-Men '97’ showrunner fired? Beau DeMayo vs Marvel gets icky

Beau DeMayo, creator of X-Men '97, who was fired by Marvel Studios just days before the show's premiere, is finally spilling the tea

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Months after ‘X-Men '97’ premiered, details about the drama surrounding creator and showrunner Beau DeMayo’s firing are finally emerging. While DeMayo had previously shared insights into his inspirations for the show's darker episodes, neither he nor Marvel or Disney had addressed the reasons for the ousting before the first season's release.

Now, DeMayo has publicly criticized Disney, claiming they removed his credits for the ‘X-Men '97’ Season 2 (which he reportedly had completed before his departure) allegedly due to a Pride fan-art post featuring himself as Cyclops. However, Disney responded, revealing that they had conducted an internal investigation that uncovered unspecified but “egregious” issues with DeMayo’s behavior, leading to his dismissal. Clearly, the situation has moved beyond mere professional disagreements.

Fired ‘X-Men '97’ showrunner Beau DeMayo vs Marvel feud gets dragged on

On Thursday, August 15, DeMayo took to X and Instagram to express his gratitude for working on ‘X-Men '97’, writing, “I’m so grateful to have worked on #XMen97, collaborating with some amazingly talented folks. Creating this revival was a dream come true and the support fans have shown is so touching.”

However, he also felt the need to address his departure from the show. He posted fan art of himself as Cyclops, and revealed, “On June 13, #Marvel sent a letter notifying me that they’d stripped my Season 2 credits due to the post. Sadly, this is the latest in a troubling pattern I suffered through while on working on #XMen97 and #Blade.”

DeMayo’s social media often features shirtless photos and fan art depicting him as various X-Men characters. He concluded his posts with, “I’ll have more to say soon,” but noted he “must take a step back from social media to find a safer space for me to be out, proud, and nerdy. Stay tuned.”

On the other hand, Disney responded swiftly with a harsh statement, just hours after DeMayo’s post. A spokesperson said, “Given the egregious nature of the findings, we severed ties with [DeMayo] immediately, and he has no further affiliation with Marvel,” as per The Hollywood Reporter.

Think it’s all over? Think again. DeMayo immediately hit back, accusing Marvel of using the conflict to distract from issues with its subscription service. “The truth will be revealed,” he wrote on X.

“After their Disney Plus disaster, Marvel wants to mislead with alleged contract breaches over tweets. It’s tragic it’s come to this but unsurprising. Stay tuned.” DeMayo, who claims he will provide “legal letters” and other supporting documents soon, made this statement in response to a Variety article quoting a source who says the investigation involved “sexual misconduct” and repeated violations of his termination agreement. The situation has rapidly escalated, turning extraordinarily messy within just a few hours on an otherwise quiet Thursday night.

Is ‘X-Men '97’ Season 2 still happening? 

Though DeMayo won’t return, ‘X-Men '97’ is moving forward with Seasons 2 and 3. Matthew Chauncey, known for his work on Marvel’s 'What If...?', including Infinity Ultron’s debut and the season 2 finale, is taking over as showrunner. Chauncey is also the head writer for 'What If...?' season 3, which will conclude the multiverse saga.

DeMayo had initially planned a five-season arc for ‘X-Men '97’, but it remains uncertain if Marvel will stick to this plan or extend the series further. Given the success of ‘X-Men '97’ Season 1, extending beyond DeMayo’s original vision is a possibility.

Despite his departure, DeMayo remains involved in ‘X-Men '97’ Season 2, having written a significant portion of the scripts. However, it’s unclear how much of his work will be retained in the final episodes.