X-Men '97 is hitting Disney+ in March, bringing the long-awaited sequel to the acclaimed 1990s X-Men animated series! But is it possible that the 1990s Fox Spider-Man animated series can likewise make a comeback?
For many fans, the 1990s X-Men animated series is perhaps the best adaptation of the popular Marvel Comics characters. It integrated scores of classic storylines and did a wonderful job bringing the franchise to popularity. The new series picks up not long after where the original ended in 1996 with the X-Men mourning the loss of Professor X, dealing with new threats, and having arch-enemy Magneto inherit the Xavier Institute.
But while X-Men was a hit, another Marvel icon was showcased on Fox in the early 1990s. Premiering in 1994, Spider-Man was a fantastic series focusing on the Wall-Crawler, packed with scores of his enemies and doing major storylines from Venom to the Clone Saga. It also provided animated versions of Marvel heroes like Daredevil, the Punisher, Captain America and others. It even did a crossover episode with the X-Men series as Spidey and the X-Men teamed up.
The series wrapped up in 1998 after five seasons and 65 episodes with a storyline revolving around a "Spider-verse." Even though there have been scores of other Spider-Man animated shows since, this is still seen as the standard against which all others are matched.
Is there a Spider-Man TAS revival coming?
Since X-Men '97 was announced, fans have wondered if a possible follow-up to the Spider-Man series could follow. Head writer John Semper Jr was asked about it on Twitter and made it clear he'd jump at the chance.
All they have to do is call me. I'm here, and I'd certainly consider doing it.
— John Semper Jr. (@johnsemper) February 28, 2024
All they have to do is call me. I'm here, and I'd certainly consider doing it.
This is just speculation right now, but the interest is clearly there. Given all the changes Spider-Man has been through in the comics since the show ended, it'd be fun to see that integrated with a more adult Peter handling his Wall-crawling life. There's even the chance for characters like Miles Morales to pop up.
A stumbling block may be the complex rights issues between Marvel and Sony over the Spider-Man character. Disney now owns Fox, so they have the rights to the original series, but Sony retains some rights over other presentations of Spider-Man characters. That may make it harder to bring a revival to life.
Yet the potential to continue this show is there and if X-Men '97 is a hit, it's not impossible that Disney+ may decide Spider-Man deserves the same updated treatment.
Spider-Man the Animated Series streaming on Disney+.