X-Men '97: Beau DeMayo Declares Lawsuit Against Disney's Termination

Beau DeMayo, the mind behind the popular Marvel animated show X-Men '97, was fired from Marvel Studios a few months ago. The details behind his termination were unknown at the time, but now some new things have come to light and it seems as though there's a lawsuit on the horizon.

Beau DeMayo's Termination

Former "X-Men" writer Beau DeMayo has filed a lawsuit against Disney and Marvel for wrongful termination.Photo byErik McleanonUnsplash

Beau DeMayo wrote for Marvel Studios for years. Not only did he create and write for X-Men '97, but he also worked on Moon Knight and was working on the new Blade movie before his departure. DeMayo was fired in June for reasons unknown, then his credits were stripped from him. This means he will no longer receive credit for creating X-Men '97 in season two, an extreme and rare decision from Marvel Studios.

Although the reasons behind his termination and swift punishment had been unknown, DeMayo has recently made a statement that shed light on the situation. On August 15th, DeMayo posted on X and stated, "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 of fans have shown is so touching. However, I felt it pressing for me to speak up in the wake of leaving the show..."

DeMayo then attached a screenshot of an Instagram post he'd made on June 4th. The post was a drawing of Cyclops, a character from X-Men. A fitting tribute given his work with X-Men '97. He then went on to say, "Above is #XMen fan-art I posted on Instagram for Gay Pride in June. On June 13th, #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 working on #Xmen97 and #Blade."

He continued, "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 then posted a line to a Variety article the next day, covering his statements. The same day, August 16th, he quote reposted his post and said, "This is their Disney-Marvel's usual playbook. Legal letters and other items prove their long-standing pattern to follow. It's about finding a safe outlet. Thanks for your faith and patience."

Marvel's Response

While Marvel didn't initially state why the X-Men '97 creator was fired, or why his credits were stripped, they decided to break their silence after DeMayo's posts on X. In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Marvel said that DeMayo was fired after internal investigations brought up something unsavory.

"Mr. DeMayo was terminated in March 2024 following an internal investigation." This would directly contradict Demayo's statement, something that could surely be proven one way or the other with a paper trail. Marvel then went on to claim the findings of their investigation were "egregious" and therefore DeMayo was fired.

As for his credits being stripped; that was allegedly due to DeMayo's behavior. According to a source from Marvel, DeMayo had agreed not to post about the company on social media, which he did. Supposedly, this is what led Marvel to strip his credits.

DeMayo's Brewing Lawsuit

Beau DeMayo has hired Bryan Freedman to spearhead a wrongful termination lawsuit against Marvel Studios. Freedman is a well-known wrongful termination lawyer. DeMayo and Freedman's claims are that Marvel fired him due to the Pride Month post in a bigoted, anti-LGBTQ+ decision. Marvel says that the findings of their internal investigation are what led to the termination, which occurred in March. Sources allege that the investigation was over sexual misconduct on DeMayo's part within the company. Neither Marvel Studios nor DeMayo have officially confirmed this.

Freedman made a statement regarding Disney's business practices when it comes to their employment contracts. "Having much experience with Disney, the playbook is always the same," he said, "family-friendly on the outside, but secretly attempting to plant illegal, unconscionable items in contracts that silence the truth and stop the employee/customer from asserting basic constitutional rights.

He didn't say if DeMayo wanted financial compensation from the company, or officially confirm the filing of a lawsuit, but says, "Beau DeMayo wants nothing from Marvel/Disney except the truth. He will bravely tell the truth, so will I. Stand by."

Conclusion

While the lawsuit hasn't been filed, it's clear from DeMayo's posts and Freedman's statements that there is an intention to file one. So far, there have been no further statements from either party. If filed, this will be another bad look for Disney after their long-standing accusations of being anti-LGBTQ+.

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Article originally written by J'Adore Bailey.