More details have reportedly come out regarding X-Men ’97 creator Beau DeMayo’s firing by Marvel Studios. DeMayo was fired from X-Men ’97 just weeks before it premiered on Disney+, and in light of incredible reviews for the series, many became curious as to what happened behind the scenes. On Thursday, August 15, 2024, DeMayo claimed Marvel removed his credits on all scripts for the upcoming X-Men ’97 Season 2 in response to his sharing a Gay Pride post on Instagram in June. Shortly after, Marvel Studios released a statement saying DeMayo was let go following an internal investigation, which resulted in “egregious” findings.
Update: DeMayo’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, has released a statement to Deadline regarding his client’s firing. The statement, which refers to Disney’s corporate practices as “illegal,” suggests that DeMayo and Freedman are planning to pursue legal action:
“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. Beau DeMayo wants nothing from Marvel/Disney except the truth. He will bravely tell the truth. So will I. Stand by.”
Original story continues below…
Rumors are now emerging with new details regarding DeMayo’s firing and the specific behavior(s) that preceded it. Reporter Jeff Sneider posted a blog with the details he’s gathered from sources regarding DeMayo’s firing. DeMayo allegedly sent nude and seminude photos of himself in sexually suggestive “hero” poses to several young male staffers working on X-Men ’97, saying they could be used as “inspiration” for the series. According to sources, DeMayo was asked to stop sending these photos, but he continued. DeMayo also allegedly groped an assistant on multiple occasions. Sneider additionally reports that DeMayo was physically and emotionally abusive to the staff. Sneider says this was also one of the reasons DeMayo was let go from The Witcher. None of this has been confirmed and should be treated as rumor for the time being, but it does seem to match the vague sexual misconduct allegations that The Hollywood Reporter hinted at in their coverage of Marvel’s statement on DeMayo’s firing.
Beau DeMayo’s X-Men ’97 Controversy Continues
X-Men ’97
4.5/5
- Release Date
- March 20, 2024
- Cast
- Jennifer Hale , Chris Potter , Ray Chase , George Buza , Catherine Disher , JP Karliak
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- Marvel Studios
The rumors around DeMayo certainly are damning, and while nothing has been confirmed at the moment, many have noted that none of the staff or cast of X-Men ’97 have come out in defense of DeMayo since his firing from the series. The allegations against DeMayo must have been bad for Marvel Studios to publicly fire him in advance, as they notably maintained a wait-and-see approach with Jonathan Majors until he was found guilty in a court of law. If the allegations against DeMayo are true, Marvel Studios made the right call in removing DeMayo from his position as showrunner to look out for the safety of the rest of their crew.
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The troubling aspect is how long it took for these details to be revealed. If the allegations are true, Marvel Studios and DeMayo seemed to have reached an agreement not to disclose the circumstances surrounding his job termination until DeMayo seemingly broke the agreement by posting about the series on social media. People are only now finding out about it because DeMayo decided to harass Marvel Studios on social media, and they made a claim to defend themselves. Had he not, would this have been swept under the rug and kept an open secret? DeMayo had already worked on several beloved properties, like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and The Witcher, and following the critical success of X-Men ’97 could have used those rave reviews to get more work and possibly put more employees in uncomfortable situations.