Updated with Marvel’s statement. Beau DeMayo exited X-Men ’97 ahead of its premiere earlier this year, and the creator and former head writer is hinting at why Marvel and Disney+ took away his name from the second season.
In a new social media post, DeMayo broke his silence on one of the reasons his credits for Season 2 were stripped away.
“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,” DeMayo shared on X, the microblogging platform formerly known as Twitter.
He continued, “However, I felt it pressing for me to speak up in the wake of leaving the show…”
DeMayo shared a screenshot of an Instagram post he shared on June 4 to celebrate Pride Month.
“Above is #XMen fan-art I posted on Instagram for Gay Pride in June,” he continued in a second post on X. “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 I suffered through while on working on #XMen97 and #Blade.”
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Furthermore, DeMayo said he would “have more to say soon” but for now he was taking “a step back from social media to find a safer space for me to be out, proud and nerdy.”
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Following DeMayo’s claims, a Marvel spokesperson said in a statement, “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.”
The company would not comment further. According to Marvel sources, DeMayo was investigated for alleged sexual misconduct, and the credit removal was due to breaches of the two sides’ separation agreement.
We have reached out to DeMayo’s reps, including attorney Bryan Freedman, for comment.
Before his exit, DeMayo had completed writing seasons 1 and 2 of the animated series, which premiered on Disney+ on March 20.
X-Men ’97 revisits the iconic era of the 1990s as The X-Men, a band of mutants who use their uncanny gifts to protect a world that hates and fears them, are challenged like never before, forced to face a dangerous and unexpected new future.
The revival launched to critical acclaim and strong ratings, amassing 4M views across the first two episodes in their first five days on Disney+.
Nellie Andreeva contributed to this report.