Beau DeMayo, creator and former head writer of X-Men 97, has openly criticized Marvel Studios leadership and its approach to creative direction. In a series of statements shared online, DeMayo detailed his experience with the studio, expressing frustrations with what he described as a dismissive and toxic workplace culture.
DeMayo revealed that after the release of Episode 5, he asked an executive whether Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige was satisfied with the show. According to him, the response was telling. “I was told that he’d be ‘happier’ if fans and audiences weren’t using it as a referendum on what the MCU needs to be doing to fix itself,” DeMayo stated. He further added that Feige had “nothing to do” with the animated series and could not take credit for its reception, despite internal acknowledgment of its quality.
The creator also criticized the absence of Feige and executive producer Louis D’Esposito at the X-Men 97 premiere, pointing out that they did not attend to thank the fans, the returning voice cast, or the original creators of the 1990s animated series. “Nope, we were just a little cartoon that wasn’t sexy enough or taken seriously enough,” he remarked, adding that the lack of recognition underscored how the series was undervalued within the company.
Beyond this, DeMayo suggested that Marvel’s internal processes often distance producers from the source material. He alleged that assistants, rather than producers, read through the comics and compile development documents, which are then narrowed down by executives. Writers, he claimed, are instructed to work within these parameters without being encouraged to study the original works themselves. This, in his view, has contributed to storytelling difficulties on several projects, including the canceled Nomad.
The dismissal of Victoria Alonso, a longtime Marvel executive, was also mentioned as part of his wider concerns about how the studio treats its employees. DeMayo described the overall environment as “beyond toxic,” admitting that he had already been considering leaving the project due to what he viewed as abuse and hostility.
When discussing his own exit, he alleged that the studio justified his firing with vague accusations that, according to him, have yet to be substantiated. “I learned a big lesson about doing ‘too good a job,’” DeMayo reflected. Despite this, he personally funded a wrap party for the team, claiming Marvel declined to provide one despite the success of the series.
X-Men 97 debuted on Disney Plus in March 2024 and quickly received critical acclaim for its faithfulness to the source material and modernized animation. The first season concluded in May, with a second season scheduled for 2026 and a third already in development under new head writer Matthew Chauncey.
