This is a great time to be a Marvel fan. While the MCU continues to dominate the big screen, the studio has also kept things interesting in its animated universe, too, with the return of X-Men '97. As Season 2 takes the beloved mutants on another action-packed adventure, Marvel is already looking ahead and has confirmed that it is actively working on Season 3 of the show.

Even before the sophomore season premiered, the studio had been teasing returning characters that would shape the future of the series. So, with Marvel planning an exciting future for the series, here is what to expect from X-Men '97 Season 3.

The first season of X-Men '97 premiered in March 2024, while the second season finally arrived in July 2026 after a gap of more than two years. But fans are unlikely to wait that long for Season 3. Marvel Television head Brad Winderbaum has revealed that the team is already close to finishing work on the third season. However, the release date is not confirmed yet.

But it could potentially premiere in early 2027. Even better, Marvel has already renewed X-Men '97 for Season 4, with production set to begin soon. Moreover, producer Larry Houston has also confirmed that Seasons 3 and 4 are expected to arrive much sooner than the lengthy gap between the first two seasons.

“Luckily, the production problems won’t occur again,” Houston told The Direct. “There was a huge gap of time between [season] one and two. They’ve learned their lessons, so with [seasons] three and four, that won’t happen again… That was a one-off.”

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While X-Men '97 could return with Season 3 sooner than expected, the show's creative team has already begun teasing what fans can expect from the next chapter.

During a premiere event for X-Men '97 Season 2, Marvel Television head Brad Winderbaum and director Jake Castorena confirmed that Season 3 will bring several original characters from the original animated series back to the screen. Castorena also hinted that the mutants Mystique and Destiny could make an appearance. Earlier, during Marvel's Comics to Screen panel for the show, the studio confirmed that the Brotherhood of Mutants will also be featured in season 3.

That suggests fan-favorite characters such as Blob, Pyro, Avalanche, Toad, and Surge could also appear in the series. However, Marvel has yet to reveal more plot details for Season 3. As for Season 2, it follows the X-Men as they find themselves scattered across different eras, fighting to find their way back home. And this brings the spotlight on the cast of Season 3.

X-Men '97 Season 3 is expected to bring back several familiar characters, which could see much of the previous cast return. Ross Marquand is likely to reprise his role as Professor X, while Matthew Waterson could return as Magneto. Ray Chase, Jennifer Hale, Alison Sealy-Smith, Cal Dodd, Lenore Zann, and George Buza are also part of the Season 2 cast and could return for another season.

However, Marvel has not officially confirmed the cast for Season 3. With the Brotherhood of Mutants joining the story, the series is also expected to introduce several new cast members, although the names have yet to be announced. This is certainly an exciting year for the X-Men '97 fandom.

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Are you watching X-Men '97 seaosn 2? Let us know in the comments.