Why Brad Winderbaum Never Even Considered Modernizing X-Men ’97: “Our #1 rule was…”
There is palpable excitement surrounding the recently released X-Men ’97, a series that is neither a typical reboot nor a remake, but a direct continuation of the original X-Men: The Animated Series. What has particularly captured the attention of fans is the nostalgic rush X-Men ’97 promises to deliver. With its return to the animated realm, the series evokes a wave of fond memories in X-Men fans.
Brad Winderbaum, the executive producer of X-Men ’97, has also acknowledged that the team’s primary goal was to honor and emulate the legacy of the original series. Indeed the legacy of 1992’s X-Men: The Animated Series can be found all over the present-day show of X-Men ’97.
X-Men ’97: A Nostalgic Revival of a 90s Animated Classic
The highly anticipated series, X-Men ’97, offers a nostalgic trip down memory lane to revisit the cherished childhood memories of X-Men fans, who grew up watching the original adventures of Professor X’s mutant team. What sets X-Men ’97 apart is its unwavering commitment to preserving the essence and vibe of its predecessor.
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Rather than modernizing the series to fit today’s dynamic, the production crew has tried hard to stay true to the spirit of the OG show. Executive producer Brad Winderbaum has been vocal about their dedication to emulating the memory of the original.
Brad Winderbaum told Men’s Health,
“Our #1 rule was to emulate our memory of the original. That was more important than emulating frame by frame what is was. Because if you watch the original show, the animation shifts. We always wanted to evoke that feeling, which means we had to try to match the style, or people’s memories of the style. Through the design process, it was challenging to not modernize. [We kept] arcing it back to the original, kind of old-fashioned design; big, bubbly muscles, soft curves.”
To maintain authenticity, the team behind X-Men ’97 has not copied the original show frame by frame. Instead, they have succeeded in capturing the same nostalgic essence to audiences worldwide. Brad Winderbaum further stated,
“With our modern sensibilities— we’ve all watched so much anime and are fans of modern animation—it’s very easy to go angular. But we were constantly trying to go back to that soft ’90s kind of vibe.”
While the world may have evolved since the days of X-Men: The Animated Series, the new installment remains faithful to its roots. X-Men ’97 does not fail to embrace the soft ’90s vibe that defined its predecessor. So, it is hoped that the new series will successfully attract old audiences by maintaining the same feeling of nostalgia and familiarity.
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X-Men ’97 Honors the Original Series, X-Men: The Animated Series
Over the years, the X-Men franchise has resonated deeply with fans in ways that even its original creators may not have anticipated. Following the success of Marvel’s What If? series, Marvel took the opportunity to reunite X-Men with fans through other animated content.
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X-Men ’97 seamlessly continues the narrative where X-Men: The Animated Series left off. The new show started directly after the death of the X-Men founder, Dr. Charles Xavier. In the early episodes, much of the storyline revolves around the characters coming to terms with how to uphold Xavier’s dream of peaceful coexistence in his absence.
The world, both inside and outside the show, has changed, but the new series hopes to spread a similar vibe and feelings. To honor the enduring legacy of X-Men: The Animated Series, X-Men ’97 features many of the original voice actors reprising their iconic roles.
With the release of its first two episodes on Disney+, X-Men ’97 instantly transported fans back to the nostalgic era of X-Men: The Animated Series.
