The dispute between former X-Men '97 showrunner Beau DeMayo and Marvel has escalated. Today, the lawyer for DeMayo has issued a statement after Disney removed his credits from X-Men '97 Season 2. DeMayo was terminated from X-Men '97 just days before the hit animated series premiered on Disney+, with no explanation for the firing. DeMayo has mostly remained quiet regarding the issue, aside from various posts on social media to share his thoughts on X-Men '97 episodes and the show's overall positive reception.
On Thursday night, DeMayo alleged that Marvel stripped his X-Men '97 Season 2 credits after posting fan art of himself as a shirtless Cyclops during Gay Pride Month in June. Disney released a statement in response to DeMayo's claim, saying that he was "terminated in March 2024 following an internal investigation."
Bryan Freedman, who has handled some of Hollywood's major wrongful termination of the past few years, is now representing DeMayo, and he has issued a statement to refute the misconduct allegations against him.
"Having much experience with Disney, the playbook is always the same," Freedman said in a statement to Variety. "Family friendly on the outside, but secretly attempting to plant illegal unconscionable items in contracts that silence the truth and stop the employee/customer from asserting basic constitutional rights."
In a statement given to The Hollywood Reporter, Marvel said, “Mr. DeMayo was terminated in March 2024 following an internal investigation. Given the egregious nature of the findings, we severed ties with him immediately, and he has no further affiliation with Marvel.”
Jeff Sneider’s The InSneider also reported that DeMayo’s “egregious” behavior includes allegedly sending “photos of himself in various states of undress” to several young staff members. He also allegedly groped an assistant multiple times and was emotionally/physically abusive to other staffers, according to The InSneider's report.
What did Beau DeMayo's lawyer say about the X-Men '97 creator's dispute with Marvel and Disney?
Here's the full statement from Beau DeMayo's attorney shared to both Variety and Deadline:
Having much experience with Disney, the playbook is always the same. Family friendly on the outside, but secretly attempting to plant illegal unconscionable items in contracts that silence the truth and stop the employee/customer from asserting basic constitutional rights. As we will explain through detailed examples which we will roll out in detail one by one, Disney's model is very clear and a repetitive illegal pattern. Once it gets challenged or exposed, the gaslighting and redirection of the blame toward anyone willing to tell the truth starts through an international well oiled publicity machine. The problem for Disney is that when they go up against someone who has concrete evidence of this happening over 100 times, many of which have led to them settling hundreds of cases if not thousands to try and continue to control critics, employees and even lawyers who sue them. The problem for them is that I have the evidence and clients willing to be truthful and they know it. These are actually facts not argument or conjecture. Over the next few months, with the brave help of those who have been illegally silenced, retaliated for simply telling the truth and then destroyed for it, one by one this bullying and illegal conduct will be exposed to the government. Beau DeMayo wants nothing from Marvel/Disney except the truth. He will bravely tell the truth. So will I. Stand by.
The first season of X-Men '97 is now streaming on Disney+. Season 2 is currently in development, and has no official release date yet.
