X-Men '97: Beau DeMayo's lawyer accuses Disney of "gaslighting"

Posted in: Disney+, Opinion, streaming, TV, TV | Tagged: beau demayo, Marvel Studios, x-men, X-Men '97

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X-Men '97 actor Beau DeMayo's lawyer has accused Disney/Marvel of "manipulating" his client and hinted at possible legal action.

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UPDATE [1:55 pm ET]:As we prepare to look back at the last twenty-four hours and the war of words between the creator/writer of X-Men '97 Beau DeMayo and Marvel Studios, we have an update. Lawyer Bryan Freedman issued the following statement to Hollywood Deadline on behalf of DeMayo:

“Having had a lot of experience with Disney, the strategy is always the same. Close to the family on the outside, but covertly trying to insert illegal and abusive elements into the contracts that silence the truth and prevent the employee/customer from asserting their basic constitutional rights,” Freedman explained. “As we will explain through detailed examples, which we will uncover in detail one by one, the Disney model is very clear and is a repetitive illegal model. Once it is challenged or exposed, the gaslighting and redirection of blame to anyone willing to tell the truth begins with a well-oiled international publicity machine.” Freedman added, “Beau DeMayo wants nothing from Marvel/Disney except the truth. He will courageously tell the truth. So will I. Stay put.”

X-Men '97, Beau DeMayo and Marvel Studios: A Timeline

By now we all know the basics of what happened earlier this year between X-Men '97 creator/writer of the series Beau DeMayo and Marvel Studios. As the premiere of the hit animated series approached, news broke in March that Marvel Studios had parted ways with DeMayo, which came as a surprise to many. With neither party commenting on the matter or giving a reason for DeMayo's firing, fans were left to speculate — though DeMayo's continued support and promotion of the series during its March-May run led many to believe that both parties had decided to move on. In fact, Brad WinderbaumMarvel Studios' head of streaming, television and animation, noted that some of the things DeMayo had planned for the second season would be reworked - followed by reports that Matthew Chauncey (What if… by Marvel?) would take on the role of head writer for the third season.

Which brings us to this week, which began with DeMayo posting on social media that Disney/Marvel Studios had not yet made arrangements for him to attend the September Emmy Awards. X-Men '97 Episode 5: “Remember It” is nominated for an Emmy in the category of Outstanding Animated Program – In Competition The Simpsons, The Reign of the Scavenger, Bob's BurgersAnd Blue Eyed SamuraiOn Thursday night, DeMayo addressed another Marvel-related topic — one that he said “is the latest in a series of issues I’ve been through working on ‘X-Men 97’ and ‘Blade.’” DeMayo shared a screenshot of fan art he posted to Instagram for Gay Pride in June. “On June 13th, Marvel sent me a letter informing me that they had removed my credits from Season 2 due to this post.” DeMayo claims that post is the reason his writing credits for the second season were “removed.” DeMayo added, “I’ll have more to say soon, but I need to step back from social media to find a safer space for me to be open, proud, and nerdy. Stay tuned.”

Here's a look at DeMayo's tweets from Thursday night:

Shortly after, a Marvel spokesperson released the following statement to The Hollywood Reporter on DeMayo's statements: "Mr. DeMayo was terminated in March 2024 following an internal investigation. Given the egregious nature of the findings, we immediately severed ties with him, and he no longer has any affiliation with Marvel." Retweeting a copy of a Variety In a post detailing the situation, DeMayo posted the following statement on Twitter: “The truth will come out. After their Disney Plus disaster, Marvel wants to mislead with alleged contract violations in tweets. It’s tragic that it’s come to this but not surprising. Stay tuned.”

DeMayo would continue with the following message: "This is the usual Disney-Marvel playbook. Legal letters and other evidence to prove their long-standing pattern to follow. It's about finding a safe way out. Thank you for your trust and patience":

Which brings us to today, as social media is awash with opinions, rumors, and allegations on the subject. At this point, the only way to get legitimate answers is to answer three critical questions. What were the allegations that led to DeMayo’s firing by Marvel Studios in March 2024? Was there an agreement between DeMayo and Marvel Studios that would allow DeMayo to continue discussing/promoting the series? If so, what were the specifics—the dos and don’ts—of that agreement?

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