Why Marvel Studios blocked What If…? from using the X-Men

What If…? executive producer Bryan Andrews recently recalled how Marvel Studios’ top brass vetoed plans to include the X-Men in the Disney+ series.

An animated anthology series set in the MCU, What If…? dropped its first nine-episode season in 2021. A second season followed in 2023, also consisting of nine installments.

A notable feature of the 18 episodes of What If…? aired to date is their sprawling roster, which hails from across the wider MCU. This is especially true of Season 2, which had the freedom to pull heroes and villains from Phase Four onward.

But, according to Andrews, Marvel Studios still put limits on the creative team’s access to characters in the second season – even ruling out the X-Men entirely.

Why Marvel Studios blocked X-Men in What If…?

Andrews explained the X-Men’s absence from What If…? Season 2 in a recent interview with ComicBook.com. In short: Marvel Studios prioritizes live-action over animation.

“[The X-Men] were pretty much off the table,” he said. “[Marvel Studios were] like, ‘We’ve got to do it first in live-action and then you get to do it.’ And we’re like, ‘Ah, man!’ We would’ve loved to have played with all kinds of toys. But there’s limitations.”

Marvel Studios announced an X-Men reboot in July 2019. The production still doesn’t have a release date (much less a cast list), however, Marvel continues to sow the seeds for the X-Men’s MCU debut in its film and TV projects.

Disney+ miniseries Ms. Marvel introduced the mutant concept to MCU – a revelation accompanied by the classic X-Men: The Animated Series theme tune. What’s more, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness featured an alternate universe version of Patrick Stewart’s Professor X, while The Marvels’ mid-credits scene included a cameo by Kelsey Grammer’s Beast.

Marvel revives one of its most beloved animated shows

An X-Men cartoon comeback is on the cards, as well. Marvel Studios is currently putting the finishing touches on X-Men ’97: a revival of X-Men: The Animated Series slated for 2024. The project reunites several of the original show’s cast, and its first season will run for 10 episodes.

X-Men ’97 will pick up where its predecessor left off, with reformed supervillain Magneto taking over from Professor X as the team’s mentor. The revival will also introduce at least two new characters, if Hasbro’s Marvel Legends action figure line is any indication.