‘X-Men ‘97’ EPS Offer Crucial Advice for Marvel’s MCU Reboot

Few franchises hold as much emotional significance for dedicated comic fans as the X-Men, whose various adaptations have ignited passionate discussions for decades. This legacy has become even more complex as Marvel Studios aims to integrate the mutants into the MCU, a project that fans have eagerly awaited since Kevin Feige first suggested it was on the horizon.

The excitement surrounding this integration has only grown, particularly with the success of ‘X-Men ’97,’ the Disney+ animated revival that demonstrated how deeply audiences connect with these characters when they are treated with care. As the live-action reboot progresses, featuring a cast that includes Samara Weaving, Sadie Sink, Kit Connor, Christopher Abbott, Inde Navarrette, and Adam Driver, the stakes have never been higher.

This is why the insights of Eric Lewald are so significant at this moment. The original writer and executive producer of ‘X-Men: The Animated Series,’ who returned to consult on ‘X-Men ’97’ alongside his wife and fellow writer Julia Lewald, recently shared critical advice for those crafting Marvel’s live-action reboot, focusing on one essential storytelling principle.

“You want to challenge the characters, but you can’t change them,” Lewald stated, according to CinemaBlend. “You have to be true to them. That’s the core of all storytelling.”

Lewald further elaborated on the challenges creative teams often encounter when working with beloved intellectual properties. “Sometimes, if you’re in a creative position, you want to leave your mark and say, ‘Sherlock Holmes isn’t smart anymore,’ or whatever change you want to make with the characters. But you have to remember, people have lived with them. They watched with their parents, and now they’re watching with their children.”

Julia Lewald echoed this sentiment, highlighting that the franchise’s enduring appeal stems from more than just superpowers. She emphasized the internal, emotional lives of the characters and the show’s found-family dynamic as the true reasons fans return to the series across generations.

The Lewalds’ insights carry significant weight given their history with the franchise, having helped shape ‘X-Men: The Animated Series’ when it debuted on Fox over three decades ago. That original series laid much of the groundwork for how mutant narratives would be approached in future adaptations, from the Fox film series to Marvel’s cinematic universe.

Their ongoing role as consultants on ‘X-Men ’97,’ which is moving into additional seasons following its successful revival, has ensured that this institutional knowledge remains integral to the current creative process. This is a perspective that the studio should consider as it entrusts the live-action reboot’s script to writers Joanna Calo and Lee Sung Jin, known for their work on ‘The Bear’ and ‘Beef,’ respectively.

With a release date already confirmed and a cast gradually taking shape, both fans and industry observers are hopeful that Marvel will learn from the elements that made the franchise resonate initially, rather than pursuing reinvention for its own sake.

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