Gay X-Men ’97 creator Beau DeMayo fired from the series just days before premiere
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Marvel Studios have allegedly fired Beau DeMayo, the out gay writer and producer behind the upcoming series X-Men ‘97, according to reports.
Set to land on screens on 20 March exclusively on Disney+, his upcoming series promises to continue the narrative left hanging by the original cartoon, with the mutant team grappling with the apparent demise of Charles Xavier.
However, The Hollywood Reporter alleged that the showrunner and executive producer for the animated series “suddenly parted ways” last week. “His company email was deactivated and cast and crew were informed he was no longer on the project,” they reported. “DeMayo’s Instagram account, once a source for X-Men updates, was deleted. No reason for the firing was given.”
DeMayo was a Marvel veteran, previously writing on the live-action series Moon Knight, as well as the delayed vampire thriller series Blade. The producer was reported to be planning on attending the premiere for X-Men ‘97 in Hollywood on 13 March.
The series has already been subjected to right-wing backlash, after the trailer to the upcoming X-Men series showed a non-binary character, Morph. The trailer opens with a vigil for Xavier, then the X-Men are met with a shock as iconic villain Magneto appears, complete with flowing white hair, bearing a last will and testament… saying that Xavier left everything to him.
The focus has been on a relatively minor character who has been revealed to be something other than cis and heterosexual.
In a new issue of Empire Magazine focusing on X-Men ’97, brief character profiles are given for several of the returning characters from the original X-Men: The Animated Series.
Speaking to Empire Magazine, showrunner Beau DeMayo revealed that X-Men ’97 will feature a “lighter take on the character Morph, who is non-binary and has an interesting buddy relationship with Wolverine.”
The revelation was a record-scratch, freeze-frame moment for some fans, as Morph had never been identified as non-binary in the original show or any of the comic books. He’s a shapeshifting mutant, whose real name is Kevin Sydney, and his character has transformed into both male and female characters in the past.
The news of DeMayo’s alleged firing has left fans shocked and confused as to why such a prominent LGBTQ+ figure in the industry would be removed from a project that promised to bring more representation to the screen.
Many have taken to social media to express their disappointment and concern over the situation. Calls for transparency from Marvel Studios and Disney+ have been circulating online, with fans demanding answers as to why DeMayo was let go from X-Men ‘97.
The timing of DeMayo’s firing, just days before the premiere of the highly anticipated series, has only added fuel to the fire. With so much buzz surrounding X-Men ‘97 and its promise of inclusive storytelling, the sudden removal of DeMayo has cast a shadow over the project.
As fans eagerly await the release of X-Men ‘97 and hope for more LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream media, the behind-the-scenes drama surrounding DeMayo’s departure serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by marginalized voices in the entertainment industry.
Whether Marvel Studios and Disney+ will address the situation and provide clarity on DeMayo’s firing remains to be seen. In the meantime, supporters of DeMayo and X-Men ‘97 continue to stand by the creative vision he brought to the series, eagerly anticipating its debut on screens later this month.
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