Marvel Says ‘X-Men ‘97’ Creator Was Fired for ‘Egregious’ Conduct After He Accuses Studio of Homophobia

“X-Men ’97” creator and former executive producer Beau DeMayo on Thursday accused Marvel of stripping his Season 2 writer credits in response to Pride-related “X-Men” fan art he posted on social media in June. DeMayo called this “the latest in a troubling pattern” he says he experienced while working for Marvel.

In a statement, Marvel in turn said DeMayo was fired after an unspecified internal investigation uncovered “egregious” conduct.

“Mr. DeMayo was terminated in March 2024 following an internal investigation,” said a Marvel spokesperson in a statement. “Given the egregious nature of the findings, we severed ties with him immediately and he has no further affiliation with Marvel,” the company said.

No further details were provided. But an individual with knowledge of the situation said DeMayo was investigated for sexual misconduct, and that his writing credits were removed after repeated violations of a termination agreement between him and Disney.

DeMayo was fired ahead of the series premiere of “X-Men ’97” in March. His dismissal came after he had finished writing the second season of the series, but the reason for it remain unknown.

In his statement Thursday, posted as a thread on the social media site X, DeMayo first acknowledged the fun he had bringing the show to life. “Firstly, I’m so grateful to have worked on #XMen97, collaborating with some amazingly talented folks,” he wrote. “Creating this revival was a dream come true and the support fans have shown is so touching. However, I felt it pressing for me to speak up in the wake of leaving the show … .”

“Above is #XMen fan-art I posted on Instagram for Gay Pride in June. 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.”

“I’ll have more to say soon but must take a step back from social media to find a safer space for me to be out, proud, and nerdy. Stay tuned,” DeMayo finished.

“What If … ?” writer Matthew Chauncey was hired in July to take over writing duties for the show’s third season.

“X-Men ’97” continues from the classic 1990s animated series, with several cast members from “X-Men: The Animated Series” returning, some in their original roles and others in new roles. Original series producers Larry Houston and Eric and Julia Lewald remain as consulting producers.

Returning cast members include Cal Dodd, Lenore Zann, George Buza, Adrian Hough, Christopher Britton, Catherine Disher, Chris Potter, Alison Sealy-Smith, Alyson Court. New cast members include Jennifer Hale, Anniwaa Buachie, Ray Chase, Matthew Waterson, JP Karliak, Holly Chou, Jeff Bennett and AJ LoCascio.

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