What's Inside?
- Beau DeMayo criticizes Marvel Studios for ego-driven choices, claiming Kevin Feige neglects X-Men’s canon and the emotional investment of fans.
- The X-Men ’97 showrunner accuses Marvel leadership of resenting the series’ success, alleging Feige downplayed its cultural impact and achievements.
- DeMayo argues Marvel relies on nostalgia and celebrity stunts instead of authentic storytelling, urging respect for X-Men’s legacy and dedicated fanbase.
Kevin Feige has long been celebrated as the mastermind behind Marvel Studios, the man who helped turn comic book heroes into global icons. Yet, beneath the blockbuster premieres and billion-dollar successes, a storm is brewing inside Marvel’s own walls. This time, the criticism doesn’t come from fans or industry outsiders but from someone much closer to the heart of the franchise. Beau DeMayo, the showrunner of X-Men ’97, has openly challenged Feige, calling out ego-driven choices and what he sees as a disregard for the X-Men’s legacy.
Beau DeMayo’s Scathing Breakdown of the Mutant Saga
Beau DeMayo’s posts on X have sent shockwaves across fandom spaces. In an unusually candid response to fans’ questions, he admitted he has “no faith” in Marvel Studios’ upcoming Mutant Saga— at least not yet. His explanation was a detailed takedown of how Kevin Feige and Marvel have handled the mutants’ MCU debut so far.
“X-Men requires planning, deep planning to pull them off and make them resonate,” DeMayo wrote. He emphasized the importance of respecting canon, suppressing ego, and focusing on the emotional investment fans have poured into these characters for decades. By his account, Feige’s approach has done the opposite.
Yep. I was told this in a phone call after Ep 5 premiered. I asked the exec if Kevin was happy, because stupidly I still wanted to help the studio out.
There response was a long pause, and then I was told that he’d be “happier” if fans and audiences weren’t using it as a… https://t.co/qmhE8vyHMa
— Beau DeMayo (@BeauDemayo) August 15, 2025
He pointed to Marvel’s decision to retcon Kamala Khan as a mutant in Ms. Marvel as the franchise’s first official introduction of mutants— a move he described as ego-driven and dismissive of fan expectations. “Literally, our first intro to the X-Men in the MCU is not one of the decades worth of mutants but a YA retcon that Kevin forced onto the franchise to ‘make it his own,’” DeMayo argued.
“To the above, for DECADES X-Men fans have waited for teenage mutants like Jubilee and Kitty Pryde to get their justice and due in film. Kevin knows this, but just like Fox shoved a teenage retcon’d Rogue down our throats, Kevin and Marvel are shocked Khan down our throats when far more interesting mutants would do. It’s a fuck you to fans, and having been in the room with these guys it is absolutely all ego. Even having a newly cast Jubilee show up at the end of Ms Marvel to recruit her would’ve been better than the instantly forgettable tag we got.”
From there, he tore apart other creative choices, including the nostalgia cameo of Professor X in Doctor Strange 2, Monica Rambeau’s meeting with Beast in The Marvels, and the continued reliance on Fox’s Wolverine and Deadpool. Each, in his view, was a “desperate play to make us care” rather than carefully planned storytelling.
“What the hell does Beast and Monica tease? Nothing. It’s just a desperate play to make us care,” he wrote, comparing it unfavorably to Marvel’s Phase One tags that carefully set up the Avengers.
Beau DeMayo Claims Kevin Feige’s Resentment Over X-Men ’97’s Success
Beyond creative disagreements, DeMayo accused Feige and Marvel leadership of resenting X-Men ’97’s success. The animated revival has been widely celebrated for staying true to the heart of the characters and honoring the original 1990s series. Even Ryan Reynolds publicly acknowledged its role in bringing the mutants back into mainstream relevance.
Yet, DeMayo alleged that Marvel’s top brass, including Feige, went out of their way to downplay the series. “Kevin and his vaunted ‘Parliament’ at Marvel didn’t even attend #xmen97’s premiere,” he revealed, adding that crew members were warned not to give him too much credit.
He even claimed a Marvel executive told him outright that Feige resented the show because fans were using it “as a referendum on how Kevin’s MCU is failing.” According to DeMayo, his success had made him a threat in the eyes of studio leadership.
Like, I don’t mean to be a hater, but who looks at this and says this is the care and respect and serious thinking that the X-Men characters deserve? Hell, who looks at this and says this is competent leadership from a studio that is in no way alarming?
Kevin is introducing new…
— Beau DeMayo (@BeauDemayo) August 15, 2025
“It’s all ego,” he said.
“The X-Men have no room for ego. Their legacy and the investment so many of us made into it is what’s the priority, not making your mark.”
In his most biting observation, DeMayo contrasted the current Marvel era with the excitement of Phase One. Back then, he noted, Hall H announcements were about storylines, themes, and faithfulness to the comics. Now, they are dominated by celebrity casting and spectacle. “Kevin and his brood are just star-fucking at this point hoping it’ll earn dollars at the box office,” he lamented.
What Beau DeMayo’s Comments Mean for Marvel’s Future?
DeMayo’s comments hit at a critical time. Marvel has faced increasing criticism for uneven storytelling and a reliance on nostalgia rather than fresh ideas. The upcoming Mutant Saga was meant to reinvigorate the MCU, but if its creative foundation is already being questioned by someone as close to the material as DeMayo, fans may have reason to worry.
Still, the showrunner left the door open for change. “Now, will this change? I hope so,” he wrote. His faith, he explained, can be restored not through flashy PR or stunt casting, but through a genuine focus on story and respect for the X-Men’s canon.
