Summary
X-Men ‘97has been a critical and ratings success for Marvel, prompting some fans to request a similar reboot for a popular animated DC TV show. However, James Gunn shut down any hope for a potential revival of the belovedJustice Leagueseries.
X-Men ‘97premiered in mid-March to praise from critics and fans, which has been reflected in the successful ratings for the Marvel Animation and Disney Plus show. In response, fans have proposed otheranimated shows that need a revival likeX-Men ‘97, including series’ from the DC franchise. Unfortunately, there’s at least one animated series that Gunn does not intend to revive, though his reason may be understandable to some fans.
On threads, user Langston A. Williams proposed aJustice League Unlimited ‘07reboot to Gunn.Gunnresponded by explainingwhy he believesX-Men ‘97has been successfuland why he’d rather not try to repeat that.“X-Men ‘97 is fun because it’s unique and not desperately trying to follow the trends of everything around it. So I’d rather just keep doing that,” Gunn wrote.While some responses to Gunn’s Threads post expressed disappointment, others respected Gunn’s decision not to pursue aJustice League Unlimitedreboot simply for nostalgia’s sake or in an attempt to copyX-Men ‘97’s success.
While Gunn did not elaborate on his reason for wanting to pass on a Justice League Unlimitedreboot, his comment suggests he would rather produce DC projects he’s passionate about instead of ordering projects only because there’s a demand for them. While this may seem baffling to some who believe aJustice League Unlimitedreboot would be a guaranteed hit,Gunn had similar success with his Marvel Studios projects.Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3was the only critically praised MCU of 2023, withAnt-Man and the Wasp: QuantumaniaandThe Marvelsbombing with critics and at the box office. WhileAnt-Man 3and theCaptain Marvelsequel had some fans,Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3received far more positive reviews. This was partly attributed to the fact that Gunn had his whole heart inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3and wanted to tell the film’s story, meaning the film was the result of a passionate filmmaker and not solely Marvel Studios’ need to produce a sequel to its financially successful franchise.
While it would be unfair to assume the directors or showrunners of Marvel Studios’ less successful projects weren’t passionate about their respective MCU ventures, some fans have arguedGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3was a hit because it was at least as much a Gunn project as it was a Marvel Studios one. So, while Gunn’s response to a proposedJustice League Unlimitedreboot may not be what fans wanted, perhaps they wouldn’t want one if the DC Universe boss’ heart isn’t in it. Maybe those fans can find solace in the fact thatGunn’s DC Universe is inspired byJustice League Unlimited.
X-Men ‘97premieres new episodes on Wednesdays on Disney Plus andJustice League Unlimitedis available on Max.
X-Men ‘97
The animated X-Men team returns in the Disney Plus reboot, X-Men ‘97. With Professor X gone, Cyclops, Wolverine, Jean Grey, and the rest of the mutants find themselves under the leadership of Magneto and facing a new threat. X-Men ‘97 is the first project under the newly created Marvel Animation banner.
