After two years, we finally have our first look at the second season of X-Men '97 which comes out in just a month from now (July 1). An after credits scene from Season 1 confirmed he'd be coming, but it's now official, our mutant heroes will be squaring off against the dreaded, and fan-favorite, Apocalypse. Not only that but the season will be based on the popular 1995 X-Men storyline, Age of Apocalypse complete with post-apocalyptic outfits and time travel. It's an X-Men fan's dream come true.

The trailer gives us quick snapshots of Season 2 with a voiceover from the mutant Bishop explaining where our heroes are at: the X-Men are scattered across time during various stages of Apocalypse's rule, so the remaining team must track them down and ultimately stop the powerful X-Men foe. We also hear a voiceover from Rogue and how she is feeling since the loss of her love, and fellow member of the X-Men, Gambit. "It's hard to believe what's not waiting for me." Given the story's time travel element, Gambit being a beloved character, and that fact that superheroes never stay dead for that long, there's the sense that we might see the return of the 'Ragin' Cajun.'

One thing to note from the trailer is, unlike the first season where the '97' subtitle was purely a naming convention to indicate that the series was a continuation of X-Men: The Animated Series which ended in 1997, Season 2 is really leaning into the 90's nostalgia. Several times throughout the trailer there is a specific mention about returning to the 1990's when the initial comics and animated series were released.

The Age of Apocalypse storyline isn't depending on the 1990's, so it is kind of funny that they're leaning so heavily into the nostalgia. It's almost as if the show is saying, "Hey older Millennials and Gen X, this series is for you!" You have to admit that hearing an all powerful mutant villain like Apocalypse saying "The X-Men. I must strike them at their most vulnerable...the 1990's" is kind of hilarious. Clearly the X-Men were in disarray after hearing "MMMbop."

That aside, the second season looks like it could be as promising as the first, which set the bar high with a 99% Rotten Tomatoes score. What makes the series so special is its reverence for the source material and X-Men/Marvel fans. Although X-Men '97 is a continuation of a Saturday morning cartoon from 30 years ago, its themes and writing aged with the initial fanbase. With its modern animation to boot, it feels like the closest thing to watching a living X-Men comic. Needless to say, fans are thrilled.

"Peak is back oh my god," said one X user. "The way this looks better than Doomsday," said another fan which is quite a hot take. 

The way this looks better than Doomsday..... https://t.co/wBuB9Fl0MP

— 🌷 (@Mutant_Menace) May 27, 2026

With the onset of season 2, it is worth addressing that this will be the final season with series creator and writer, Beau DeMayo. Ahead of Season 1's premiere, DeMayo was fired by Marvel for reasons that still aren't clear cut, but have been rumored to include him posting pride-themed X-Men fan art on his social media which Marvel was not happy about, running a non-explicit OnlyFans account, and reports of being generally difficult to work with. Luckily the series overcame its bad publicity, but hopefully its quality remains intact going forward, as more seasons are planned. 

Let's face it, the MCU has faced a severe decline in popularity since its peak around the time Avengers: Endgame was released. Even with tentpole releases this year like a new Spider-Man movie and Avengers: Doomsday, the latter is receving backlash for its odd casting choices and reshoots, some of which were still being filmed earlier this month. With the initial success of X-Men '97, here's to hoping Marvel continues exploring more animated series with mature storytelling. 

X-Men '97 will premiere on Disney+ July 1, 2026.