Producer Jake Castreona has detailed the unexpected return of a Kang variant in the second season of X-Men '97. This narrative choice occurs as the live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe shifts its primary focus away from the character.
Rama-Tut's arrival amid the MCU's pivot to Doctor Doom
The appearance of Rama-Tut in X-Men '97 serves as a fascinating contrast to the current trajectory of the live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). For several years,Kang the Conqueror was positioned as the central threat of the Multiverse Saga, but the franchise has since pivoted toward Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. This shift followed the high-profile departure of actor Jonathan Majors, leaving a void in the MCU's long-term antagonist planning.
Because X-Men '97 operates within its own distinct animated universe, it is not bound by the continuity constraints that currently plague the live-action films. This separation allows the creative team to utilize iconic villains like Rama-Tut—a pharaoh-themed version of Kang—without needing to reconcile the character's status with the events of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania or the Loki series.
Jake Castreona's confirmation of Kang's early script presence
During an intreview with ScreenRant's Andy Behbakht, supervising producer and director Jake Castreona revealed that the inclusion of Kang was not a last-minute reaction to the MCU's casting turmoil. According to Castreona, the character was integrated into the project from the earliest stages of develoment and remained present throughout the script phase.
While Castreona noted that he was not involved in the high-level writing discussions led by Beau DeMayo, he emphasized that a level of synergy exists across various Marvel studios. As reported by ScreenRant, Castreona could not explicitly confirm if the decision was a direct response to live-action changes, but he maintained that the animated series possesses the creative liberty to act indepenndently of the broader cinematic landscape.
John de Lancie as the first post-Majors Kang
The casting of John de Lancie to voice Rama-Tut is a significant nod to both the comic books and the history of Marvel animation. This marks the first time a version of Kang has been portrayed by an actor other than Jonathan Majors since the latter's firing from Marvel Studios. By returning to a veteran voice actor, X-Men '97 anchors itself in the legacy of the character rather than the volatility of recent live-action casting.
This choice reinforces the idea that the animated branch of Marvel is currently a safer space for experimentation. While the live-action films are undergoing a massive course correction, the animated series can lean into established comic lore, provdiing fans with the version of the character they expect without the baggage of real-world production scandals.
The 2027 return of X-Men '97 and the Multiverse gap
With the season 2 finale scheduled to air on Disney+ on Wednesday, August 12, and a third season already confirmed for 2027, the show has a long runway to explore these Multiversal connections. However, several questions remain regarding the long-term strategy. It is still unclear if Rama-Tut's appearance is a one-off hoage or if Marvel intends to use the animated series as a testing ground for Kang's eventual return to the big screen.
Furthermore, the source does not clarify whether the writers of X-Men '97 are coordinating their plotlines with the architects of Avengers:Doomsday.. if the animated universe continues to diverge from the live-action MCU, the appearance of Kang may simply be a reward for comic purists rather than a hint at a wider crossover event.
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