Marvel Studios launched its "Marvel Animation" label back in 2021. Now, the likes of Eyes of Wakdanda, Marvel Zombies, and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man are heading our way in the not-too-distant future.
X-Men '97 just wrapped up its first season and, while that's expected to run for multiple seasons, what of Marvel Animation's first TV series, What If...?
Talking to ComicBook.com, executive producer and Marvel Studios Head of TV, Streaming, and Animation Brad Winderbaum strongly hinted that season 3 (which is expected to launch either later this year or early 2025) will be its last.
"What If...? season 3 is - that might be the one that comes out next, in terms of animation," he started. "That is the culmination of a trilogy. We're actually close to completing that one, and it really feels like you've gone through this amazing emotional experience with Uatu."
"What's great about The Watcher is that he presents himself as uncaring, and cold, and just an observer, but he cares more than everybody [and] anybody," Winderbaum added. "That is on full display in that third season."
As far as we're aware, What If...? was only ever planned to run for three seasons, so this isn't a cancellation or anything along those lines.
In a separate conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Winderbaum was asked what's next for X-Men '97. While work on season 2 is almost complete, it's taking place without any sort of input from fired Head Writer Beau DeMayo.
The executive says the team "will have a new head writer for season 3" and was quick to add, "We are honoring Beau's ideas for the second season." Winderbaum also went on to call director Jake Castorena "an amazing architect in his own right."
"So much of the visual storytelling of this show comes from him and our amazing directing team," he adds. "So it does feel like there's a consistent voice. The mantra is the same, the goals are the same, and the source material is the same. As long as that's our guiding principle, that we're honoring the comics and the original show, that's the core to the creative pursuit."
As of now, there's no word on who will take over from DeMayo (who recently commented on his involvement with season 2) as Head Writer/showrunner.
X-Men '97 revisits the iconic era of the 1990s as The X-Men, a band of mutants who use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them, are challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future.
All episodes of X-Men '97 are now streaming on Disney+.