'X-Men '97' Season 2 Expands With Unexpected Summer Release

3 weeks ago 11

Published Mar 13, 2026, 1:47 PM EDT

Adam Blevins began working in the entertainment industry in 2022 as a Staff Writer for Agents of Fandom, where he progressed to Senior Editor and interviewed talent from Marvel Studios, House of the Dragon, and Planet of the Apes. He joined Collider as a News Author in April 2024, was promoted to a Senior position in December 2024, and has written over 3,000 articles for the site, including exclusives relating to Avengers: Doomsday, The Penguin, Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, and more. He primarily writes about the latest box office numbers and the hottest movies and TV shows on streaming, while also covering superhero and sci-fi news. He has completed a set visit for The Chosen and even has several months of experience writing Gaming Features at ScreenRant. You can find him on X, LinkedIn, and Muckrack.

It’s been almost two years since X-Men ‘97 aired its Season 1 finale, and fans around the world are still waiting to see how the story continues in Season 2. It’s been confirmed that X-Men ‘97 Season 2 will premiere this summer, but Marvel has yet to assign the animated series a slot on its Disney+ calendar for the year. It’s safe to say X-Men ‘97 is one of the most anticipated new releases of 2026, though, especially considering the show is still the highest-rated Marvel project ever, despite not taking place in the MCU. It holds a nearly flawless 99% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and a 91% on the audience-driven Popcornmeter, and it’s already been renewed for Season 3 before the Season 2 premiere. It’s a textbook example of a successful show.

There may still be a few months until X-Men ‘97 is playing on Disney+ around the world, but Marvel has just given a gift to fans of its most popular mutants. Marvel has officially announced a new prequel comic book, X-Men '97: Season Two, which will take place between the events of X-Men ‘97 Seasons 1 and 2. The book was written by Steve Foxe with art from Salva Espin and a cover from Todd Nauck, and there will be variant covers available from Jhony Caballero, Natacha Bustos, and Dan Jurgen. The comic goes on sale on June 3, likely around the same time that X-Men ‘97 will premiere, and the official synopsis for the new story reads as follows:

“X-MEN ‘97: SEASON TWO will lead directly from the end of the acclaimed first season to the start of the upcoming season two, setting the stage for the time-sprawling saga that awaits viewers, exploring the season’s biggest plot threads, and spotlighting the major new characters—and teams—joining the cast.

Extinction-day has come and gone, and your favorite X-Men are lost in time! Spinning out of Marvel Animation’s X-Men ’97 series, follow the X-Men left behind in a world that hunts and hates mutantkind! Can they survive? And just where – or when – are the X-Men now?! No X-Men ‘97 fan can miss this one!”

When Will ‘X-Men ‘97’ Season 3 Come Out?

There’s been a two-year gap between the first and second seasons of X-Men ‘97, but fans can rest assured that this won’t be the case between seasons two and three. X-Men ‘97 star Lenore Zann, who voices Rogue in the hit Disney+ series, confirmed to Collider last year that she was about to head to the voice booth to begin recording lines for Season 3. The most likely window of release for X-Men '97 Season 3 is likely sometime in 2027, only one year after Season 2.

Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on the new X-Men ‘97 prequel comic and updates on Seasons 2 and 3 of the hit Disney+ series.