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X-Men '97 Season 2 Set For Summer 2026; Season 3 Confirmed

Marvel Animation and Disney+'s X-Men '97 Season 2 arrives Summer 2026 (with lots of Apocalypse), and has been renewed for a third season.

We knew that, heading into New York Comic Con (NYCC) 2025 weekend, Marvel Television and Marvel Animation's Brad Winderbaum would have some updates on a number of series projects to pass along, and some special guests would be with him to help share the news. So, what did that mean for the second season of X-Men '97? Creators and Executive Producers Eric Lewald and Julia Lewald announced that the animated series would return in Summer 2026 – and would also be back for a third season. A trailer was shown offering a look at Apocalypse, as our heroes struggle to get back home after finding themselves scattered throughout time after the season finale.

Here's a look at the start of the panel where the news about X-Men '97 was announced:

"Well, first and foremost, it's actually the entire creative team. Same director, same producers, same cast, many of the same writers, and it's standing on the shoulders of giants," Winderbaum shared ahead of the NYCC panel when asked if there would be any major creative changes behind the scenes with the departure of original Showrunner Beau DeMayo. "One thing that makes 'X-Men '97' work so well is that everybody's rowing in exactly the same direction. Everyone that works on the show knows that original series inside and out. And we work very closely with Eric and Julia Lewald and Larry Houston [X-Men: The Animated Series creators]. They're here all the time reviewing material and talking to the artists. The second season feels very much a worthy successor to the first season."

As for what viewers can expect regarding the on-screen action, Winderbaum added that the tease of Gambit as the Angel of Death "certainly matters" and that "Apocalypse is a big part of season 2." Regarding Ross Marquand's previous comments that the season was "very, very dark" and that "a lot of people die," the Marvel Studios executive added, "I saw something about that. I would say that it is the same stakes as season 1. I wouldn't characterize it as a lot of characters die! It's not 'Marvel Zombies,' but like many great anime shows, like 'X-Men '97' season 1, mortality's on the table, and some of these characters want to do what's right at any cost."

X-Men '97 S02: Marvel Studios' Brad Winderbaum's Previous Updates

During Disney's D23 Fan Expo, Marvel Studios' Brad Winderbaum was joined by series stars Cal Dodd and Lenore Zann – and right from the start, we learned that the team would have the outfits that their comic book counterparts were famous for during Grant Morrison's run with New X-Men (designed by artist Frank Quitely). While a sneak preview was screened, it still hasn't been released. Zann shared that Rogue will be on a "hero journey" during the second season: "She's on a mission, and she's not going to stop until she gets what she wants." Dodd added that he was so happy that they are bringing back Bishop – teasing that all Hell breaks loose and he has no idea what's happening with him during the season. Along with Bishop, we also learned that Polaris, Danger (not Warlock, as originally reported), and Apocalypse will appear. But that's far from all…

During a screening of the first season of the animated series, Collider was on hand for a Q&A that included Winderbaum, supervising producer Jake Casterona, and director Emi/Emmett Yonemura. When it came to the topic of what they could share about Season 2, Winderbaum dropped a ten-ton tease, giving fans the heads-up that they should start brushing up on their "X" teams – because two of them will be making an appearance. "There's many teams in Marvel that have the letter 'X' that are followed by a hyphen. I would put it to you like this… there's two other X-teams in Season 2." We have a feeling that one of them could be a real "force" of nature and that the other one could be a major "factor" in what happens during the second season.

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