Marvel Studios has released an official statement saying that “X-Men ’97” creator and lead screenwriter Bo DeMaio has been fired from the series in March 2024 due to “blatant” misconduct. The studio released the statement shortly after DeMaio posted on multiple social media accounts claiming that he was stripped of writing credits for the show’s second season due to a gay pride post he shared on social media.
“Mr. DeMaio was terminated in March 2024 following an internal investigation,” the studio said in a statement. “Given the egregious nature of the findings, we have effectively severed ties with him and he has no further affiliation with Marvel.”
A source familiar with the investigation said evidence of sexual misconduct was uncovered, and that DeMaio repeatedly violated his severance agreement, resulting in his credits for the second season being removed.
On Thursday night, De Maio posted a photo of himself, shirtless and dressed as the mutant superhero Cyclops. “First, I am so grateful to have worked on #XMen97, collaborating with some incredibly talented people,” he wrote. “Creating this revival has been a dream come true, and the support from fans has been so moving. However, I felt it was necessary to speak out in the wake of leaving the show.”
“Above is a fan-made #XMen image I posted on Instagram for Gay Pride in June,” he continued. “On June 13, #Marvel sent me a letter saying they were pulling the credits for Season 2 due to the post. Unfortunately, this is the latest annoying pattern I’ve experienced while working on #XMen97 and #Blade.”
Later Thursday evening, Di Maio posted a response to Marvel's statement on social media, attaching a link to this article: “The truth will be revealed. After the Disney+ debacle, Marvel wants to mislead people with alleged contract violations through tweets. It's tragic that it has come to this, but it's not surprising. Stay tuned for more.”
DeMaio was fired in March 2024, ahead of the series' premiere on Disney+. He had completed work on the first and second seasons of the animated show before his exit. DeMaio also wrote for Marvel and Disney+'s “Moon Knight” series; in addition, he was one of several screenwriters who worked on the studio's long-developed “Blade” film, starring Mahershala Ali.
“X-Men '97” debuted with some of the best reviews Marvel has ever received for its online programming, praising the animated series for its bold story and complex characters. Ahead of the premiere, executive producer and Marvel Animation president Brad Winderbaum told diverse “Di Maio did an excellent job writing the first and second seasons, and I can't wait for fans to see the series,” he added.
The show was nominated for a Creative Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program; on August 12, De Maio tweeted that the studio “has not reached out to me to arrange for me to attend the Emmy Awards for the show I created.”
During the first season's run, DiMaio regularly posted lengthy statements on X about specific episodes and plot lines. Prior to his firing, he also ran a non-explicit OnlyFans account under the username “Beaunlyfans.” Out magazine described DiMaio in 2022 as “Marvel's hottest, gay character and showrunner to know.”
diverse I have reached out to DeMaio for further comment.
