Beau DeMayo, the fired showrunner of the Disney Plus animated series X-Men ’97 recently voiced strong criticisms against Marvel Studios, particularly targeting the practice of “race-swapping white villains to Black people.”
A screenshot from the trailer for Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man – YouTube, Marvel Entertainment
This latest attack came in the wake of the trailer for Marvel’s new Spider-Man animated series, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, where Norman Osborn, a traditionally White character, is race-swapped into a Black man.
Of course, Osborn eventually goes on to become Spider-Man’s arch nemesis The Green Goblin.
DeMayo took to X to express his concerns.
Here let me rephrase
Hey @MarvelStudios please stop race-swapping white villains to black people. It reads “funny.”
Kang. High Evolutionary. Norman Osborn. Electro. Mordo.
— Beau DeMayo (@BeauDemayo) December 30, 2024
“Hey, @MarvelStudios please stop race-swapping white villains to Black people. It reads ‘funny.’ Kang. High Evolutionary. Norman Osborn. Electro. Mordo.”
This comment has ignited discussion among fans, with some interpreting DeMayo’s stance as a broader opposition to race-swapping in media. This earned him praise from those who reject “woke” storytelling and forced diversity.
Jonathan Majors as Kang The Conqueror in Marvel Studios’ ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2023 MARVEL.
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However, his remarks specifically target the transformation of traditionally White antagonists into Black characters. He’s never addressed instances where White protagonist characters have been portrayed by actors of different races, like Zendaya as MJ in the Tom Holland Spider-Man films.
Critics argue that if DeMayo’s issue lies in casting Black individuals as villains, it actually aligns with “woke” arguments rather than opposing “wokism” in media. DeMayo has a history of aligning with identity politics in media, so its unlikely he’s opposing race-swapping in a general sense.
For example, he chastised X-Men 97 fans for “straight washing” Morph’s friendship with Wolverine after there was pushback against a fan movement to “ship” the two characters together in his first season.
(L-R): Wolverine (voiced by Cal Dodd) and Morph (voiced by JP Karliak) in Marvel Animation’s X-MEN ’97. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2024 MARVEL.
DeMayo has faced accusations of hypocrisy, notably regarding the character Sunspot in X-Men ’97, who was depicted with lighter skin than his comic book counterpart.
DeMayo responded to these claims by stating the directive came from Marvel and that he opposed it.
“Asked and answered,” DeMayo said in reference to the perceived inconsistency. “This was a Marvel directive. Crew members and I brought up his Afro heritage multiple times. They wanted ‘Latino representation’ on the team since Storm and Bishop were already black.”
Beau DeMayo via Cool YouTube Guy YouTube
Of course, hypocrisy isn’t the only thing Beau DeMayo is accused of.
Earlier this year, news broke that Marvel Studios and Disney had terminated DeMayo’s role as showrunner for X-Men ’97 just before the animated revival’s world premiere. This abrupt dismissal sparked widespread rumors and speculation regarding the reasons behind his firing.
For many months, Marvel stuck to the story that it was an amicable parting of the ways. However, in August, the company released an official statement addressing the matter:
“Mr. DeMayo was terminated in March 2024 following an internal investigation. Given the egregious nature of the findings, we severed ties with him immediately, and he has no further affiliation with Marvel.”
While Marvel cited an internal investigation as the reason for DeMayo’s termination, details remain murky.
Rumors from supposed insiders allege that DeMayo was dismissed for sending inappropriate photos to staff members, with additional allegations pointing to physical and sexual misconduct with colleagues.
Beau DeMayo on X
DeMayo has consistently denied these accusations, asserting that his firing was rooted in prejudice over his sexual orientation. He claims that his removal from the X-Men ’97 season two credits followed shortly after he shared fan art celebrating Pride Month, depicting himself in a skimpy Cyclops-inspired costume.
Regardless of the underlying reasons, DeMayo has continued to express discontent with Marvel.
(L-R): Professor X (voiced by Ross Marquand) and Magneto (voiced by Matthew Waterson) in Marvel Animation’s X-MEN ’97. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2024 MARVEL.
Following his departure, he has been vocal on social media platforms, recently sharing his critical views on the third season of What If…? on Disney Plus and blasting Marvel for abandoning his future plans for X-Men 97.
Is Beau DeMayo uncovering a significant race swapping issue within Marvel Studios, or is he merely a disgruntled former employee airing grievances on social media? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
