While Marvel's live-action ensembles have struggled to recapture their former glory, one animated series has kept the flame burning bright. X-Men '97, the direct continuation of the beloved 1990s cartoon, has fans on the edge of their seats. After a first season that ended with the rise of Apocalypse and the X-Men scattered across time and space, the wait for Season 2 has felt like an eternity. But a recently screened trailer at Comic Con Revolution Ontario has finally given us a glimpse of what's coming—and it's packed with mutant teams we've been dying to see.
X-Force and X-Factor Enter the Fray
According to reports from Comicbook.com, the Season 2 trailer picks up right where the finale left off. With Apocalypse looming and the team dispersed, Bishop takes charge by assembling two iconic offshoot squads: X-Force and X-Factor. These teams are no strangers to comic readers but have rarely gotten their due on screen. X-Force, typically led by Cable—Scott Summers' time-traveling son—is a more militant mutant strike force. X-Factor, on the other hand, was formed by original X-Men who felt the current lineup wasn't living up to Professor Xavier's dream.
The trailer confirms the return of Cable, whose birth was a major plot point in Season 1. Also spotted are Archangel, often the face of X-Factor, along with Colossus, Wolfsbane, and Multiple Man. This is a golden opportunity to showcase characters that live-action films have often mishandled or underused. For instance, Josh Brolin's Cable in Deadpool 2 was a highlight, but the film's version of X-Force was brutally short-lived. Similarly, New Mutants gave Wolfsbane a raw deal, so seeing her get a proper arc here is a relief.
If you're craving more mutant action, check out our piece on why 'The Gifted' is the best underrated X-Men TV show—it's a hidden gem on Disney+.
A Second Season Worth the Wait?
It's been two years since Season 1 dropped, and fans are understandably antsy. The good news is that the trailer suggests the creative team is doubling down on what made the original series great: high-stakes drama, time-travel shenanigans, and a deep bench of mutants. The inclusion of X-Force and X-Factor not only expands the universe but also sets the stage for epic battles and character moments that the live-action films never quite delivered.
While no official release date has been announced, the buzz from the trailer has reignited hope that X-Men '97 Season 2 could debut this summer. For now, fans will have to make do with the leaked details and speculation. But if the trailer is any indication, Apocalypse won't be the only force to be reckoned with—the X-Men are assembling their own army.
For more on Disney+ originals, don't miss our coverage of Anne Hathaway's upcoming 'Ella Enchanted' series.
