X-Men ’97 Delivers What He-Man Lacks

In 2026, both Marvel and Mattel are launching projects aimed at tapping into the nostalgia for beloved animated heroes from our childhoods. Masters of the Universe has brought a live-action He-Man to theaters, while the second season of X-Men ’97 is set to catapult Charles Xavier’s mutants into a dystopian future. Both endeavors are crafted by creators who clearly cherish the source material, packed with Easter eggs designed to excite die-hard fans. While both X-Men ’97 and Masters of the Universe lean heavily on nostalgia, a key distinction lies in how effectively each franchise has maintained its presence in pop culture.

In its second season, X-Men ’97 divides its mutant heroes into various teams, each stranded in vastly different historical eras. One group finds itself in ancient Egypt, while another is thrust thousands of years into the future. Although both teams are eager to return to the ’90s, they also face the urgent task of stopping the nearly immortal mutant villain Apocalypse from wreaking havoc. With Apocalypse existing in both timelines, the X-Men teams decide to make the most of their current situations.

Instead of sticking to a single storyline from Marvel’s comics, the new season of X-Men ’97 weaves together elements from several limited series, notably The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix from 1994 and 1996’s Rise of Apocalypse. This blend of narratives not only pays homage to the ’90s but also introduces a wealth of more recent X-Men lore to enrich the universe surrounding its main characters.

While X-Men ’97 continues the legacy of X-Men: The Animated Series, Marvel has revitalized it by making significant changes to the established canon. This fresh approach contributed to the series’ success when it debuted in 2024, alongside the enduring affection fans have for the X-Men.

One major reason fans are eagerly anticipating new X-Men projects like ’97 and the upcoming X-Men film in the MCU is that Marvel has consistently kept this franchise alive. Despite the mixed quality of 20th Century Studios’ X-Men films, the ongoing stream of comics and TV shows has kept hope alive for a standout adaptation. If Marvel had neglected the X-Men brand, the franchise might have struggled like Mattel’s Masters of the Universe currently is.

While there have been a few recent series inspired by the original Masters of the Universe cartoon, He-Man’s cultural relevance has diminished since the days when Prince Adam and his allies shared life lessons on weekday TV from 1983 to 1985. This decline likely contributes to the underwhelming box office performance of Mattel’s new Masters of the Universe film, which has only managed to pull in $54.4 million against a hefty $200 million production budget, marking it as a significant financial failure.

Masters of the Universe serves as a cautionary tale about Hollywood’s tendency to misinterpret past successes. The success of films like Barbie, which offered a humorous and feminist take on a well-known icon, led Mattel to mistakenly believe that audiences were craving more toy-centric stories. While Masters of the Universe attempts to tackle themes of toxic masculinity, it hasn’t resonated enough to draw in viewers. Beyond the hardcore fanbase, many people lack a strong emotional connection to He-Man’s universe, and Mattel has not done enough to spark interest in this latest film.

If He-Man held a more prominent place in the public consciousness like the X-Men do, the narrative surrounding Masters of the Universe would likely be quite different. Mattel would benefit from recognizing this as a crucial lesson, though there’s little indication they are doing so. With the second season of X-Men ’97 and Avengers: Doomsday on the horizon, Marvel is gearing up for a year filled with major stories that put mutants front and center, a moment they’ve been building toward for years.

X-Men ’97’s second season premieres on Disney Plus on July 1st, while Masters of the Universe is currently in theaters.