While we’re going to have to be patient for Marvel’s hard reboot of the “X-Men” franchise, we do have a couple of mutant-focused projects on the horizon. This July will see Wade Wilson return to the big screen in “Deadpool & Wolverine” an R-rated Multiverse romp that is already planting seeds for “Avengers: Secret Wars” (Although, to what extent is clearly unknown). But before that, Marvel is resurrecting an old favorite with the Fox Kids animated series via a continuation called “X-Men ’97” which will debut March 20 on Disney+. Alongside that date confirmation, they’ve released a first-look teaser trailer (See Below) giving us a minor glimpse at the animation style and look of the revival.

The trailer connects the new show to the old one as it had Magneto overseeing Xavier’s school and the new de facto head of the X-Men. Magneto, of course, is well known to many as one of the main antagonists of the franchise but has a conflictive streak that doesn’t make him “all that bad.” Will he be a great mentor to the team or revert to his dastardly plans? I guess we’ll have to watch and find out for ourselves.

It’s unclear despite being a series coming from Marvel Studios and the newly formed Marvel Animation, if the animated show is going to have any impact on how they conduct their upcoming “X-Men” reboot and we’re unsure if it’ll have any genuine influence other than the character/costume designs (The iconic Jim Lee/Chris Claremont era being one of the most popular versions of this Marvel team). They could always jump to a live-action incarnation here, but given that a heap of storylines already used up was either skipped over entirely or mangled during the Singerverse years at 20th Century Fox, it would feel odd to brush over those events given that Marvel can now start with a clean slate.

Marvel Animation is also behind “Marvel Zombies” and the upcoming Spidey show “Your Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man.” Although, I’m still a little surprised they didn’t attempt a revival of the 1990s animated “Spider-Man” series alongside “X-Men ’97.” Perhaps, it was simply too much of a headache or a cameo for “X-Men ’97” is in the cards?

The teaser trailer features an article from The Daily Bugle questioning if Spidey is a mutant himself (There were crossovers between the two Fox Kids shows in the 1990s, so that version of Spider-Man exists in “X-Men ’97”). Also, it mentions Eddie Brock, aka, Venom in that paper as well. A crossover cameo wouldn’t be all that shocking since “Spider-Man: The Animated Series” had Parker running into X-Men remembers in a couple of episodes. This paper could suggest that Brock and Peter will be showing up to the Hellfire Gala, as the Hellfire Club are expected to be villains in the new show.

Also, to chime in on the question that the paper asks: “Is Spider-Man A Mutant?” In comic book lore, Peter Parker and Bruce Banner are considered mutates, not mutants. That simply means their DNA/genetics have been mutated but through technology and not by birth. So, technically, their children like Banner’s son Skaar would be mutants because their mutations would have been passed down genetically. Namor is actually considered Marvel’s “first mutant” and we’ll see if that angle is ever explored in the future. The mutant gene is likely going to play a HUGE role in the MCU moving forward and oddly enough is connected to the Celestials, last seen in “The Eternals.”

Anyways, you can watch that brand-new trailer with our first real look at the show’s animation below.

SOURCE: MARVEL STUDIOS