X-Men 97 Showrunner has been fired by Marvel

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DeMayo, a Marvel regular who previously wrote on live-action series Moon Knight as well as early drafts of company’s delayed-but-still-upcoming vampire thriller Blade, had completed writing duties on season two of the series, was lining up press, and making plans to attend X-Men ‘97’s Hollywood premiere on March 13. He was even discussing loose ideas for a third season with members of his team.

But early last week, Marvel and DeMayo suddenly parted ways. His company email was deactivated and cast and crew were informed he was no longer on the project. DeMayo’s Instagram account, once a source for X-Men updates, was deleted. No reason for the firing was given.

It was surprising turn of events on the eve of the show’s March 20 debut. Splitting with writers is a normal part of business for Marvel or any studio. However, it is unusual for a top creative on a Marvel project to miss a premiere or cancel press plans last minute, even if they’ve been shuffled to the side. Most Marvel premieres feature multiple screenwriters walking the red carpet, some of whom had been rewritten by other writers also walking the carpet.

Marvel announced DeMayo’s hiring in November 2021. The move was met with some level of excitement, as the scribe brought his identity as a gay Black man to the project, and made it a point in talking to the press about how growing up as the adopted son to white parents with a Korean sister in the South made the X-Men characters — and their struggles for acceptance by society — feel personal to him.  

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