What If...? Season 3 started releasing daily episodes on December 22, 2024, and ended its run a week later on December 29. The first two seasons of Marvel Animation's anthology series received stellar reviews, but the critics didn't embrace the third season as much as they did its predecessors. And recently, the former X-Men '97 showrunner Beau DeMayo has made it clear that he's not a fan of the latest season.
The X-Men '97 creator didn't hold back with his feelings about Marvel's What If...? Season 3. DeMayo took it to X (previously called Twitter) to share his short review. He wrote, “#whatif season 3 yikes just yikes”. DeMayo then added: “I’d watch more to give notes on how it could’ve easily been done better but I have some water to watch boil”.
In another post, DeMayo elaborated what he perceives as clear flaws with What If...? Season 3 episodes' premises and writing: "[It] has no substance and feels like fanfic. The dialogue is flat and so obvious, and some of the premises are just weird."
The didn't stop there, as the X-Men '97 creator went beyond slamming What If...? Season 3 and started mentioning a Marvel executive's name.
“This is also the season where AC Bradley completely stepped back for Chauncey to take over,” DeMayo wrote in one tweet, referring to the creative changes behind the scenes at Marvel Studios Animation, which resulted to Matthew Chauncey replacing What If…? Season 1 and 2 writer/showrunner AC Bradley. Marvel also tapped Chauncey to replace DeMayo as head writer of the third season of X-Men '97.
Beau DeMayo has issues with both What If...? Season 3 and Marvel
DeMayo's comment suggests that the quality issues of What If...? Season 3 may have something to do with Chauncey taking over the show, but his critique comes with some obvious personal concerns on his part. The tension between DeMayo and Marvel started in March 2024, when he was fired shortly before the animated series premiered on Disney+ due to allegations of misconduct that are still quite unclear. He continues to be active on social media, and even fired back at Marvel/Disney with his own allegations of discrimination and toxic workplace conditions.
More recently, DeMayo refuted quotes from What If…? Season 3 director Bryan Andrews, who claimed that What If…? couldn’t feature more mutant characters because the creators behind the show weren’t aware the Disney-Fox deal was being done (in 2019).
“They were very well aware that the rights. We had convos. Absolutely bullsh*t. Again, just liars,” DeMayo tweeted in response. “They came and asked my #xmen97 team and I what character they could use in #WhatIf Season 3 and we pointed them to What If #12 (1990) This is like the lying BS with T’Chaka”.
DeMayo's statement refers to the PR battle regarding a surprising decision for X-Men '97 Season 1: the Black Panther cameo that featured King T’Chaka, father of T'Challa. Some fans thought that the show should have paid homage to the late Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman. One of the directors talked about this decision back in May 2024, but DeMayo had to hold his thoughts until his NDA agreement with Marvel expired. His comment finally cleared the air about that controversial decision.
X-Men '97 Season 1 and Marvel's What If...? Season 3 are now streaming on Disney+. X-Men '97 Season 2 is in the works, and it's currently expected to arrive in 2026.
