Former X-Men ’97 Showrunner Beau DeMayo Takes Credit For Cyclops’ MCU Moment, Accuses Marvel of Erasing His Team’s Role

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As a Marvel movie critic, I’ve been following the buzz around the leaked Avengers: Doomsday teaser with the X-Men, and let me tell you, fans are talking. A quick shot of Cyclops really got people going, and it turns out, it’s more than just a cool moment. Beau DeMayo, who used to run X-Men ’97, has publicly stated that Cyclops’s increased presence in the MCU isn’t a coincidence. He believes the creative choices they made on X-Men ’97 actually played a role in bringing this character more to the forefront.

DeMayo expressed his opinions in a series of posts on X, discussing how Cyclops was depicted and also highlighting the fact that the animators and other creative people who worked on the show didn’t receive enough credit.

Cyclops’ Appearance in Avengers: Doomsday

A leaked clip appears to be from a new Marvel Studios project and features James Marsden returning as Cyclops. In the scene, he’s wearing a modern take on his iconic blue and gold suit. He takes off his visor and unleashes a powerful optic blast, which quickly spread online and generated a lot of excitement from fans.

Many viewers found the scene memorable because it showed Cyclops as a strong and authoritative character, staying true to how he’s usually portrayed in Marvel comics.

DeMayo Credits X-Men ’97 Creative Direction

After seeing the response, DeMayo praised his team and asked Marvel Studios to recognize their work. He initially shared this in a post, stating:

We’re happy we could assist, the Russo brothers. Hopefully, Marvel Studios will recognize and appreciate the work of Chase Conley and his team.

DeMayo clarified his earlier statements by posting excerpts from the original planning documents for X-Men ’97. These documents showed that the show’s creators always intended Cyclops to be a main character.

Here’s a peek at some of my original notes for X-Men ’97. You can see Wolverine was always planned as a supporting character. I also have the pitch document where I specifically told the studio, ‘This isn’t about Wolverine; let’s focus on the whole team.’

I was…

— Beau DeMayo (@BeauDemayo) December 28, 2025

I’m sharing the initial design pages for X-Men ’97, if anyone’s interested,” he explained. “You’ll notice that Wolverine was always planned as a ‘C’ character – meaning a supporting role.”

DeMayo states that this method was clearly discussed with Marvel from the beginning.

I remember the pitch document I presented to the studio executives, where I clearly said, ‘This isn’t about Wolverine anymore; let’s focus on something new.’

He further claimed that this creative stance faced resistance internally, explaining:

I heard from someone involved that they asked him to take a specific line out of the official mission statement before sharing it with the team. But he apparently stood his ground and made it known that they weren’t going to build everything around Wolverine anymore. It’s good to know they’re moving beyond just focusing on one character!

Despite that pushback, DeMayo said the direction remained a priority for his team.

“This was a mandate both fought for and proven by my team. It deserves to be recognized.”

Claims of Inconsistent Credit From Marvel Studios

DeMayo didn’t just discuss creative choices; he also questioned how Marvel Studios credits its artists. He pointed out that while some creators receive public praise, the team behind X-Men ’97 didn’t get the same level of recognition, in his opinion.

As fans, it’s great to appreciate the creators who made #xmen97 happen. There was a lot of pushback from the studio when I fought to make Cyclops the lead instead of Wolverine, so it’s strange to see the trailer and read comments giving credit to…

— Beau DeMayo (@BeauDemayo) December 28, 2025

I’m frustrated that Jon Favreau and other white creators are consistently credited with shaping the Marvel Cinematic Universe, while the contributions of the many Black, queer, Asian, and Latino artists who actually established its early direction and convinced Marvel to embrace Cyclops are overlooked. They proved Cyclops was a worthwhile character when the studio was still focused on Wolverine.

DeMayo clarified that his remarks were meant to highlight the contributions of the artists and animators who worked on the project, not to downplay the efforts of everyone involved with Avengers: Doomsday.

Ultimately, the most rewarding thing is seeing the fans enjoy it, and that makes all the hard work worthwhile,” he explained. “I encourage X-Men fans to connect with and show appreciation for the talented artists and animators who brought this project to life.

Fan Response and Broader Context

After DeMayo shared their thoughts, fans had a lot to say, both positive and thoughtful. Many people felt X-Men ’97 brought Cyclops back to his former glory, especially since some felt the character had been weakened or ignored in recent years. However, others noted that Marvel had already started to improve Scott Summers’ image in comics, cartoons, and video games before the new series even came out.

No, but with that said, it certainly helped rehabilitate the character considering

Marvel hasn’t done right by Scott since Bendis destroyed the Xmen starting w “No more mutants”

It’s been a cornucopia of disasters, lame plot points, creepy pod people stuff & villainy
20yrs of💩

— Kevin Apollo #Ironshogun #TheDadTitan #Colosseum (@WarDogApollo) December 29, 2025

DeMayo admitted that how the audience reacted was more important to him than any personal awards. He emphasized that seeing fans excited was the most rewarding part for him.

An Ongoing Conversation

Marvel hasn’t officially commented on the claims made by DeMayo. While work continues on Avengers: Doomsday and X-Men ’97 after his exit, conversations about who gets creative control, proper credit, and recognition are still happening.

The recent appearance of Cyclops in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has sparked a larger discussion about giving credit to creators and ensuring their work is recognized, especially when popular characters are reintroduced.

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2025-12-31 17:01