Disney+ premiered the first three episodes of X-Men '97 Season 2 on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, scattering the mutant heroes across three distinct timelines to face the rise of the central villain Apocalypse.
According to reports from The Ringer and IGN, the multi-era storyline splits the team between the 40th century, the present-day 1990s, and ancient Egypt in 3000 BC.
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The narrative directly adapts elements from classic Marvel Comics storylines, including the 1996 miniseries Rise of Apocalypse and The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix.
Comic-Accurate Villain Origin
The animated production also introduced the comic-accurate pharaoh Rama-Tut, a Kang the Conqueror variant voiced by John de Lancie, replacing the live-action portrayal previously held by Jonathan Majors.
As reported by The Direct, this creative redesign distances Marvel Animation from the controversy surrounding Majors while honoring deep comic book lore.
Executive producer Larry Houston recalled the origins of the narrative adaptation during a previous interview shared by The Ringer.
"When [Lewald] created the story 'One Man's Worth,' Marvel liked it so much that they went ahead and it inspired the Age of Apocalypse," said Houston.
Houston noted that the foundational designs heavily influenced how these classic comic book figures were translated into animated forms.
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"I was able to take the Age of Apocalypse designs and incorporate it into Eric's stories.
So you got a chance to see those characters that they designed [for the comics]," he said.
The narrative shift explores a more sympathetic background for the villain before his transformation into a global threat, as noted by TVLine.
"I can do more than just conquer the world," said En Sabah Nur, the character.
"I can save it," he added, expressing hope for his abilities prior to falling under darker influences in Ancient Egypt.
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New episodes of the nine-episode season of X-Men '97 continue to stream every Wednesday on Disney+.
