X-Men "97 Was Right To Ignore A $1B+ Marvel Movie Character Tease

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Summary

X-Men '97 wisely focused on lesser-known mutants, leaving out popular characters like Deadpool for a more serious, respectful tone.
Deadpool's comedic and meta nature wouldn't fit well in the dark themes of X-Men '97, already having a comic relief character in Morph.
With a Deadpool & Wolverine MCU film around the corner, it's understandable why X-Men '97 chose to reduce Wolverine and exclude Deadpool.

A popular mutant was notably absent from X-Men '97 Season 1, but the creative team behind the series made the right decision. X-Men '97 recently finished its first season, and it's one of the best projects Marvel has ever created. It continued the 1990s animated series brilliantly, while also providing enough drama, action, and heart to get new viewers invested. It also did justice to characters underused in the X-Men movies, like Rogue, Cyborg, Beast, Jean Grey, and Gambit.
The series features Wolverine as a central member of the X-Men, and while the character is incredibly popular thanks to Hugh Jackman's portrayal, the series sidelines him in favor of highlighting other lesser-known members. However, he isn't the only popular mutant whose role was reduced, as Deadpool, whose films have grossed over $1 billion, remained completely absent from the series. Still, the creative minds behind this series made the right decision by leaving the Merc With The Mouth out of the show.

Related Why Deadpool Couldn't Appear In X-Men '97 Season 1 & Potential Future Appearance EXCLUSIVE: The absence of Deadpool in X-Men "97 season 1 gets addressed by Marvel Studios" Brad Winderbaum, while Wade"s potential future is teased.
Deadpool Is Too Meta And Comedic For X-Men '97's Narrative Close While X-Men '97 is a family-friendly animated series, it deals with many serious topics and themes. Season 1 deals with complex issues like racism, war, and genocide. The second half of the season revolves around episode 5's attack on Genosha, a genocidal attempt to wipe out mutants and a reflection of real-world catastrophes. There is also the ongoing ethical debate between Professor X and Magneto regarding whether mutants should go to war against humanity to show superiority or save humanity and prove mutants and humans can coexist.
These dark, serious topics need to be treated respectfully, and Deadpool isn't the best character to put in these situations. Wade Wilson is always cracking jokes, even amid horrifying scenarios, and he specializes in tasteless humor that's often crude and immature. He is also known for breaking the fourth wall, and it wouldn't be a great idea to have him wink at the camera while trying to keep audiences invested. It would be nice to have Deadpool lighten up the mood, but not when it feels inappropriate or at the cost of an emotional moment.
The X-Men Already Have A Comic Relief Character

All the X-Men crack jokes, but there is already a character specifically designated as comic relief. Morph tends to be the comedian of the crew, as he continuously changes his shape into Marvel characters to make others laugh or have fun at others' expense. Sometimes it goes too far, like when he turns into Jean Grey to make fun of Wolverine or when he turns into Professor X to critique Cyclops. Still, he has many hilarious moments, even though he isn't featured as much in X-Men '97 as the other mutants.
With Morph serving as the class clown of the group, Deadpool's presence isn't needed. The X-Men are an earnest group of characters, and having one character making jokes breaks the tension effectively without getting goofy. Adding Deadpool and Morph into the same crew would make the humor feel repetitive, and it goes against the show's tone. Almost every member of the Guardians of the Galaxy is funny, but it's a drastically different tone that James Gunn creates versus the tone of X-Men '97.
Deadpool Is Getting His Own Project With Deadpool & Wolverine

X-Men '97 recently aired its season 1 finale, just two months before the premiere of Deadpool & Wolverine. The upcoming MCU film is the third entry starring Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool, but this time, he's joined by Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. It'll also be Deadpool and Wolverine's MCU introductions and could be the stepping stone for the MCU's X-Men. With that film on the horizon, it'd be unnecessary to cram Deadpool into X-Men '97 since he's about to star in a film. Deadpool already didn't have a large role in X-Men: The Animated Series, so his absence in the series isn't noticeable.
Wolverine's presence in X-Men '97 was also reduced despite his popularity. Since he's also in an upcoming MCU film, it's great that the series focused on other mutants who don't often get the spotlight in live-action films. Wolverine has dominated the X-Men franchise, and he will do so again, but this time with Wade Wilson. While the Deadpool films have made over $1.5 million worldwide, Deadpool doesn't need to be in X-Men '97, and he will get his chance to shine when Deadpool & Wolverine slices into theaters on July 26.

X-Men '97 Where to Watch *Availability in US
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Cast Jennifer Hale , Chris Potter , Alison Sealy-Smith , Lenore Zann , Cal Dodd , Catherine Disher , Adrian Hough , Ray Chase , Chris Britton , George Buza Release Date March 20, 2024 Seasons 1 Streaming Service(s) Disney+ Upcoming Marvel Movies
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