Could Marvel’s Brad Winderbaum be involved in a major scandal involving misconduct and retaliation?
For over a year, X-Men ’97 creator and showrunner Beau DeMayo has made explosive allegations against Marvel Studios—accusing unnamed producers of retaliating against him after he reported alleged misconduct involving a Marvel higher-up and a production assistant.
Beau DeMayo via Cool YouTube Guy YouTube
Now, in a since-deleted social media post, DeMayo has finally confirmed what many insiders suspected all along: the executive at the center of it all, according to DeMayo was none other than Brad Winderbaum, Marvel’s Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation.
The Original Allegations
In a scathing series of public posts following his abrupt firing from X-Men ’97, DeMayo accused Marvel Studios leadership of enabling what he described as a hostile work environment. He claimed that after he alerted the studio about a “potentially exploitative sexual relationship between a lead and a PA,” a senior producer not only buried the report—but tipped off the accused, who then allegedly worked to discredit DeMayo behind the scenes.
“It is wrong for this same producer when I notify them that one of our leads is having a potentially exploitative sexual relationship with a PA to bury my report and actually go to the individual in question and let them know that I had ratted on them so they can then work together to discredit me,” DeMayo said in February 2025.
DeMayo also said his ongoing concerns at Marvel were brushed off by executives, who, according to him, told him to “deal with it” because the individuals involved were “amazingly talented.”
The accusations were serious enough that many began speculating who the unnamed executive could be—especially given the timing of DeMayo’s firing just days before X-Men ’97 debuted on Disney+. Winderbaum, who held direct oversight of the show and appeared in official press coverage, became the prime suspect in fan and industry circles.
Confirmation in a Now-Deleted Tweet
On June 16, 2025, DeMayo appeared to confirm what had been rumored for months.
“Funny,” DeMayo wrote on a since-deleted post on X. “Instead of having a person’s actual bad conduct with a PA investigated by HR, as well as the cover up perpetuated by certain producers to smear me after I reported said conduct, @MarvelStudios has allowed them to write a foreword to the #xmen97 series they didn’t create.”
The X-Men 97 Art Book with foreward by Brad Winderbaum – Amazon
Attached was a photo of the cover for X-Men ’97: The Art of the Series, which prominently features the line “Forewords by Brad Winderbaum, Eric Lewald, and Julia Lewald.”
While the Lewalds served as showrunner and writer respectively on the original 1990s X-Men: The Animated Series, they did not work on X-Men ’97 beyond early consulting—meaning the only individual listed who held a leadership role on the revival series was Brad Winderbaum.
The post was deleted shortly after it was published.
Fallout and Industry Reaction
This now-deleted post marks a dramatic shift in Beau DeMayo’s public accusations. While his earlier statements suggested a producer had buried a report about someone else’s misconduct, this latest wording has been interpreted by many to imply that Brad Winderbaum may have been either the individual involved in the alleged inappropriate relationship or the executive who covered it up.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 23: Brad Winderbaum, Head of Streaming, Television and Animation at Marvel Studios attends the Thor: Love and Thunder World Premiere at the El Capitan Theatre in [Hollywood], California on June 23, 2022. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Disney)
At the same time, DeMayo himself has faced accusations of inappropriate behind-the-scenes behavior, including claims that he sent suggestive photos of himself to staff members. DeMayo has forcefully denied those allegations, calling them part of the very smear campaign he believes was orchestrated in retaliation for reporting misconduct.
(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.
Marvel Studios has yet to comment on the situation. Winderbaum, who remains one of the most powerful executives at the studio, has made no public statement. To date, there have been no public investigations or formal allegations filed against Winderbaum related to these claims.
But with DeMayo now naming names, the story has taken a darker, more pointed turn—and it’s unlikely this is the last we’ll hear of it.
Could DeMayo Have Been Referring to the Lewalds?
While all three individuals—Brad Winderbaum, Eric Lewald, and Julia Lewald—are credited with writing forewords in X-Men ’97: The Art of the Series, it is highly unlikely that DeMayo’s since-deleted post was directed at either of the Lewalds.
Eric and Julia Lewald served as showrunner and writer respectively on the original 1990s X-Men: The Animated Series, but their involvement in X-Men ’97 was strictly limited to early consulting. They held no leadership, executive, or on-set production roles on the revival and would not have had any supervisory relationship over production assistants or staff.
(L-R): Rogue (voiced by Lenore Zann), Jubilee (voiced by Holly Chou), Jean Grey (voiced by Jennifer Hale), Cyclops (voiced by Ray Chase), Roberto Da Costa (voiced by Gui Agustini), Nightcrawler (voiced by Adrian Hough), Storm (voiced by Alison Sealy-Smith), and Morph (voiced by JP Karliak) in Marvel Animation’s X-MEN ’97. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2024 MARVEL.
DeMayo’s reference to “a person’s actual bad conduct with a PA” seems to center on someone involved in the production of X-Men ’97 itself. Additionally, the line about Marvel allowing “them” to write a foreword to a series “they didn’t create” further rules out the Lewalds—who, in fact, did help create the original X-Men animated universe. By process of elimination, the only individual listed on the book who held a leadership role on the new series is Brad Winderbaum.
Where Things Go From Here
DeMayo’s confirmation raises serious questions about Marvel’s internal culture, especially in its streaming division. Despite widespread acclaim for X-Men ’97, the growing controversy over how the showrunner was treated—and who is now representing the series publicly—threatens to cast a shadow over future seasons.
DeMayo’s firing, once written off as creative restructuring, now appears part of a much larger behind-the-scenes battle—one that could potentially draw scrutiny from both media and legal observers if further details emerge.
Wolverine (voiced by Cal Dodd) in Marvel Animation’s X-MEN ’97. Photo courtesy of Marvel Animation. © 2024 MARVEL.
For now, Marvel Studios remains silent.
But the silence is growing louder.
Do you think Brad Winderbaum is the person Beau DeMayo mentioned in his deleted post? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
This Queen always struck me as being of the “drama” variety. He talks loudly and often and usually has very little quality to what he has to say.
Don’t go away mad or loud… just go away.
DeMayo deserves everything he got. Let him fight the people who DEI-hired him at Disney on his own.
All Hollywood is allegedly Epstein Island types.