Beau DeMayo, Creator ofX-Men '97, Fired for 'Egregious' Conduct but He Insists Firing Was Over Pride Post

Mar. 15, 2025

Beau DeMayo at San Diego Comic-Con 2022 on July 22, 2022 in San Diego, California.Photo:Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

X-Men ‘97creator Beau DeMayo is defending himself after he claims he was fired from Marvel Studios and had his credits stripped for season 2 over a gay pride post — a claim the production company denied.

Months after DeMayo was fired from the series, Marvel Studios issued a statement to PEOPLE on Aug. 16, expressing that the creator and head writer “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,” the statement added.

VarietyandDeadlinereported, citing Marvel sources, that DeMayo was also investigated for alleged sexual misconduct and violated his termination agreement, leading to the removal of his writing credits.

In a statement to PEOPLE, Bryan Freedman, DeMayo’s attorney, said: “Having much experience with Disney, the playbook is always the same. Family friendly on the outside, but secretly attempting to plant illegal unconscionable items in contracts that silence the truth and stop the employee/customer from asserting basic constitutional rights.”

Image from “X-Men ‘97”.courtesy of Marvel Animation

courtesy of Marvel Animation

The production company issued the statement shortly after DeMayoclaimed in a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday, Aug. 15, that he was let go from the Disney+ show over a Pride post.

“Firstly, I’m so grateful to have worked on #XMen97, collaborating with some amazingly talented folks. Creating this revival was a dream come true and the support fans have shown is so touching. However, I felt it pressing for me to speak up in the wake of leaving the show…,” DeMayo shared next to a graphic on X.

Beau DeMayo attends the Moon Knight Los Angeles Special Launch Event at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 22, 2022.Jesse Grant/Getty

Jesse Grant/Getty

“Above is #XMen fan-art I posted on Instagram for Gay Pride in June. On June 13, #Marvel sent a letter notifying me that they’d stripped my Season 2 credits due to the post. Sadly, this is the latest in a troubling pattern I suffered through while working on #XMen97 and #Blade,” his statement claimed.

“I’ll have more to say soon but must take a step back from social media to find a safer space for me to be out, proud, and nerdy. Stay tuned,” he wrote.

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Before DeMayo went offline, hereshared his series of tweets, writing, “This is their Disney-Marvel’s usual playbook. Legal letters as well as other items to prove their long-standing pattern to follow . It’s about finding a safe outlet. Thanks for your faith and patience.”

source: people.com