WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS from X-Men '97 season 1, episode 10.
Summary
- X-Men '97 may pave the way for a new Marvel Animated Cinematic Universe (MACU) with numerous superhero cameos.
- Marvel Studios' Brad Winderbaum is open to the idea, calling the series a "window into the 90s and into that universe."
- Potential spinoff ideas include Spider-Man '98, a '90s-themed Avengers, and Daredevil animated TV shows.
Marvel Cinematic Universe movie timeline keeps expanding, it appears that Marvel Studios may have another continuity growing in the near future. As seen throughout X-Men '97 season 1, the mutants are surrounded by a world with various Marvel heroes and villains.
Following X-Men '97 episode 10, Screen Rant had an exclusive interview with Brad Winderbaum, who is Marvel Studios' Head of TV, Streaming, and Animation, about the season 1 finale and what is next for the series. Given all the cameos that were showcased in X-Men '97 season 1, Winderbaum was asked if this could mark the birth of a so-called Marvel Animated Cinematic Universe (MACU) as he teased the following:
Well, I think to me, X-Men '97 is the window into the 90s and into that universe. We can see how much that window expands over time perhaps. But there is a value to focusing on that era because it unlocks you from any other show. You get to explore this universe from this one perspective, which is basically what every episode of What If...? does to a certain degree. But those are one-and-done ones, an anthology, this is actually a universe that gets to exist for multiple seasons, which is one of the things most exciting about it.

Every Cameo In X-Men '97 Ranked
X-Men ’97 season 1 features a swathe of incredible Marvel cameos, from the shared 1990s animated universe and the pages of X-Men comics.
What Spinoff Shows Could Happen After X-Men '97?
As the world waits patiently for X-Men '97 season 2, there are a lot of spinoff ideas that could spawn out of this universe. The one that many have been asking for is Spider-Man '98, serving as a sequel to Spider-Man: The Animated Series, as that version of Peter Parker made a cameo twice in the season. With Marvel Studios having the rights to this version of Spider-Man, a series revival is more than possible at this point.
As major heroes like Captain America, Iron Man, and Hulk were also seen throughout the season, it would be intriguing to see a '90s-themed Avengers spinoff and bring those characters together. With Daredevil: Born Again set to happen in 2025, Disney+ could also invest in an animated Daredevil TV show, as the Devil of Hell's Kitchen also made a cameo in X-Men '97 and has already appeared in Spider-Man: The Animated Series.
With the MCU also rebooting the Fantastic Four, an animated offshoot series from X-Men '97 could allow Marvel Studios to explore Marvel's First Family during the '90s era, too. Whether X-Men '97 season 2 will plant any ideas for potential spinoffs remains to be seen. Hopefully, as X-Men '97 continues to grow more popular, it will lead to some fun and exciting spinoff series and give Marvel Studios an animated MCU as a parallel to their live-action franchise.
Every episode of X-Men '97 season 1 is now streaming on Disney+.

X-Men '97 is the direct continuation of the popular 1990s animated series X-Men: The Animated Series. Taking up where the third season left off, Marvel's revival brings back famous mutants such as Wolverine, Storm, Rogue, Gambit, Cyclops, Beast, Magneto, and Nightcrawler, who fight villains like Mr. Sinister, the Sentinels, and the Hellfire Club.
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