In what could have been a shocking move, Marvel Studios fired showrunner Beau DeMayo about a week before the release of X-Men '97 Season 1 in March. At the time, neither party revealed the reason behind his exit. However, five months after the unexpected event, DeMayo alleged that Marvel "stripped" his Season 2 credit due to a gay pride post on Instagram in June. Now, Marvel has broken its silence and responded to the series creator’s claim, citing "egregious" findings that led to his firing.
In an official statement issued to The Hollywood Reporter, Marvel dismissed DeMayo’s allegation that he was fired over a gay pride post. The studio revealed that the writer-producer's behavior led to his firing and loss of his X-Men '97 Season 2 credit, despite completing his work on the new season before his exit.
"Mr. DeMayo was terminated in March 2024 following an internal investigation," the statement read. "Given the egregious nature of the findings, we severed ties with him immediately, and he has no further affiliation with Marvel."
The publication added that sources claimed the two parties had reached an agreement regarding tweeting about the animated series, which DeMayo had occasionally continued to do after his exit. So, in light of the violations, his credit for the show’s second season was removed. Although no details about the cause of the termination or the internal investigations have been revealed, insiders alleged it had something to do with sexual misconduct.
After Marvel released its statement, DeMayo tweeted again, saying, "The truth will be revealed." He accused the studio of wanting to "mislead with alleged contract breaches over tweets." Though he found it tragic, he also saw it as unsurprising.
"Stay tuned," he noted.
Beau DeMayo Claims Marvel Removes His X-Men '97 Season 2 Credit Due to a Gay Pride Post
Despite his firing ahead of X-Men '97 Season 1's premiere, DeMayo has continuously received praise for the revival series' success. In fact, in addition to being critically acclaimed and becoming one of the most-watched and streamed TV series in the US, it was also nominated for Outstanding Animation Program at the 2024 Emmy Awards for its epic Episode 5, Remember It. However, DeMayo claimed he lost his Season 2 credit after posting X-Men fan art to celebrate Gay Pride on Instagram on June 4.
In a series of posts on X, DeMayo first expressed his gratitude for having worked on X-Men '97 and for collaborating with some of the most "amazingly talented folks." It was a dream come true for him to revive the 1990s animated series, and the fans' support deeply touched him.
"However, I felt it pressing for me to speak up in the wake of leaving the show…," he continued.
While resharing the Cyclops fan art of himself that he posted in June, he revealed that Marvel sent him a letter informing him that he had been stripped of his X-Men '97 Season 2 credit "due to the post." "Sadly, this is the latest in a troubling pattern I suffered through while on working on #XMen-97 and #Blade," he added.
However, it looks like it won’t be the last time DeMayo speaks up about this issue. Although he announced a social media break, he also revealed that he has "more to say soon."
"I’ll have more to say soon but must take a step back from social media to find a safer space for me to be out, proud, and nerdy," he shared. "Stay tuned."
Later, DeMayo also alleged that "this is" Disney-Marvel's "usual playbook," adding that legal letters and other items prove their "long-standing pattern to follow." He thanked everyone for their faith and patience and said it was about "finding a safe outlet."
Earlier, he claimed that Marvel and Disney hadn't contacted him yet to arrange his attendance at the Emmys for the show he created. He stressed that, besides being the creator, he produced it, worked on the entire creative process, and led every aspect of staging and production. He also emphasized that he wrote and conceived all of X-Men '97 Season 2, though he couldn’t say anything about it. What If…? scribe Matthew Chauncey has replaced DeMayo as the show's new head writer.
So far, the real reason behind DeMayo's firing has yet to be revealed. However, it looks like there’s more about this issue, as the showrunner claims he has more to say.
