Why was Beau DeMayo fired from X-Men '97? Series creator explains Marvel's decision

Five months after being fired by Marvel Studios, X-Men '97 creator Beau DeMayo has finally opened up about being let go from the series. The writer has claimed that he will no longer get credit on the second season of the hit Disney+ show that he completed work on before leaving the show.

Marvel Studios had issued an official statement saying that Beau DeMayo was fired in March 2024 for "egregious" misconduct. On the other hand, DeMayo himself posted on several social media sites, claiming that he was fired related to issues with him sharing a gay pride post on social media.

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More about Beau DeMayo's firing from X-Men '97: About Marvel's statement and DeMayo's comments

Beau DeMayo served as head writer on X-Men ‘97 during the production of seasons 1 and 2. But he abruptly left just days before the series made its debut in March. DeMayo was expected to attend a premiere of the series, but instead, he was fired, his work email was deactivated, and even the staff was informed that he was no longer involved with the series.

Even DeMayo's credit from X-Men '97 was removed due to “breaches of the two sides’ separation agreement.” Beau DeMayo has made a post with an image of himself shirtless and styled like the mutant superhero Cyclops, which read:

“Firstly, I’m so grateful to have worked on #XMen97, collaborating with some amazingly talented folks. Creating this revival was a dream come true and the support fans have shown is so touching. However, I felt it pressing for me to speak up in the wake of leaving the show. Above is #XMen fan-art I posted on Instagram for Gay Pride in June.”

It continued:

Post by @beau_demayo

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“On June 13, #Marvel sent a letter notifying me that they’d stripped my Season 2 credits due to the post. Sadly, this is the latest in a troubling pattern l suffered through while on working on #XMen97 and [the long-delayed, Mahershala Ali-led] #Blade [movie]. I’ll have more to say soon but must take a step back from social media to find a safer space for me to be out, proud, and nerdy.”

Following Beau DeMayo's posts, Marvel issued the following statement to The Hollywood Reporter:

“Mr. DeMayo was terminated in March 2024 following an internal investigation. Given the egregious nature of the findings, we severed ties with him immediately, and he has no further affiliation with Marvel.”

DeMayo has also posted a response to Marvel’s statement on social media, saying:

“The truth will be revealed. After their Disney Plus disaster, Marvel wants to mislead with alleged contract breaches over tweets. It’s tragic it’s come to this but unsurprising. Stay tuned.”

A source mentioned that evidence was discovered of s*xual misconduct and that DeMayo repeatedly violated his termination agreement. This was the reason for his removal. It was also revealed that following his exit, an agreement was reached between the two parties over the issue of tweeting about the show. DeMayo was found breaching the agreement for which his credit for season two was removed.

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What do we know about X-Men '97 season 2?

X-Men '97 was first announced in 2021, and after three long years, it was released on March 20, 2024. Following the first season, the show was renewed for a second run, which is currently in production and expected to be ready by sometime in 2025.

Season 2 will pick up where the finale left off, and Gambit is expected to make a return from the dead in this upcoming season, but as a villain. The second season of X-Men '97 will draw much of its plotlines from the 1994 comic miniseries The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix.

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Watch this space for more updates on season 2 of X-Men '97.