Marvel Studios addressed Kang the Conqueror’s surprising animated return despite the character’s live-action departure. The show’s supervising producer explained how the villain’s inclusion in X-Men ’97 Season 2 was always part of the plan.
Marvel addresses Kang’s return in X-Men ’97 Season 2
Marvel Studios officially addressed Kang the Conqueror’s return through animation in X-Men ’97 Season 2. Supervising producer Jake Castorena spoke with ScreenRant about the decision to include the villain. The character appeared as the Rama-Tut variant, voiced by John de Lancie.
Castorena confirmed that Kang’s inclusion dates back to the show’s earliest development stages. He stated, “He was there from the very early drafts. As far as I remember, that was always in script phase.” This marks the first time any actor has portrayed the character since Jonathan Majors’ firing from Marvel Studios.
However, Castorena remained cautious about connecting the appearance to broader MCU plans. He explained, “As far as like the conversations that may or may not have been had when Beau was writing it at the time, or between everyone in the writers’ room, of, ‘Are we including this because of what we’re doing now and our plans for the future?’ That is unbeknownst to me.” He added that “those were different meetings that I didn’t need to be involved in, so I wasn’t there.”
The producer also acknowledged a balance between creative independence and Marvel’s interconnected storytelling approach. He noted, “I can neither confirm nor deny if that was truly the plan, but there is always some level of synergy amongst the studios.” He further emphasized that “we are definitely our own universe, and we get to act accordingly.”
Kang previously served as The Multiverse Saga’s central antagonist across Loki Season 2 and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom has since replaced the character as the franchise’s primary villain. X-Men ’97 has already received a Season 3 renewal, with new episodes expected sometime in 2027.
The Season 2 finale arrives on Disney+ on Wednesday, August 12.
View original article here Source