Ever wondered what it takes to get booted from the House of Mouse?
Turns out, it’s a lot more than posting some Pride Month fan art. The recent drama surrounding Beau DeMayo, the creator and head writer of X-Men ’97, has left fans scratching their heads and industry insiders buzzing. Let’s dive into this messy situation and try to make sense of it all, shall we?
Picture this: You’re the mastermind behind one of Disney+’s most anticipated animated series. You’ve got fans eating out of the palm of your hand, eagerly awaiting every tidbit you drop on social media.
Life’s good, right?
Well, not if you’re Beau DeMayo.
In a plot twist worthy of a comic book storyline, DeMayo found himself not just fired from the show he created but stripped of his credits for the upcoming second season. Talk about a fall from grace!
Now, here’s where things get juicy.
DeMayo took to social media, claiming he was stripped of his Season 2 credits due to a Pride Month fan art post on Instagram. Cue the collective gasp from the LGBTQ+ community and allies. But hold your horses, folks. Disney wasn’t about to let that narrative fly.
Beau DeMayo was fired by Disney after an internal investigation uncovered serious misconduct, according to Marvel. While DeMayo claims his dismissal was due to a Pride Month post on social media, Marvel insists that “egregious” behavior was the real reason. The conflicting stories make it hard to determine who’s truly at fault here.
What Really Happened Between Beau Demayo and Disney?
Let’s break this down, shall we?
On one side, we’ve got X-Men ’97 creator DeMayo crying foul, painting himself as a victim of corporate homophobia. On the other, we’ve got Disney, a company that’s no stranger to LGBTQ+ controversies, saying, “Nuh-uh, buddy. You crossed a line.”
In June, DeMayo posted an illustration of himself as Cyclops celebrating LGBTQ+ pride. A few days later, he says, Marvel informed him that he wouldn’t receive credit for the second season of X-Men ’97, sparking his public accusations.
DeMayo’s exact words,
“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 on working on #XMen97 and #Blade.”
But wait, there’s more! Sources close to the situation have spilled some tea, suggesting that the investigation involved allegations of sexual misconduct.
It’s like DeMayo thought he could pull a fast one, using the timing of his Pride post as a shield against the real reasons for his dismissal. But Disney wasn’t having it. They came out swinging, making it clear that this wasn’t about a harmless social media post.
In a swift response, they denied that the Instagram post had anything to do with his firing, instead pointing to “egregious” misconduct discovered during an internal investigation. This vague but damning statement left the public to speculate about what exactly led to DeMayo’s departure.
Sources suggest that the investigation may have uncovered evidence of sexual misconduct, a far more serious issue than a social media post.
DeMayo, on the other hand, has hinted that Marvel is gaslighting him to cover up their own unethical practices. With his lawyer accusing Disney of planting “illegal unconscionable items in contracts,” this battle seems far from over.
Disney statement:
“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.”
Now, we’re not talking about your run-of-the-mill workplace drama here. This is serious stuff, folks.
DeMayo’s claiming his credits were stripped because of a Pride Month post? I usually don’t like Disney, but why would they suddenly have an issue with LGBTQ+ content when they’ve been trying to paint themselves as allies for years?
Here’s what the internet is saying.
Alright, let’s talk about the legal firepower DeMayo’s bringing to this fight.
Enter Bryan Freedman, a heavyweight in the entertainment law world who’s now in DeMayo’s corner. This guy’s no joke – he’s gone to bat for big names like Megyn Kelly, Gabrielle Union, and even the Michael Jackson estate.
Freedman came out swinging, accusing Disney of some pretty nasty stuff. He claims the House of Mouse has a habit of sneaking “illegal unconscionable items” into contracts to keep people quiet.
Freedman says he’s got the receipts to back it up, hinting at “concrete evidence” of this happening over 100 times. He’s promising to spill all the tea over the next few months, which could turn this whole DeMayo drama into a full-blown Disney nightmare. It’s like watching David gear up to take on Goliath, but in this case, David’s armed with a law degree and a grudge.
Here’s Bryan Freedman’s full statement:
“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. As we will explain through detailed examples which we will roll out in detail one by one, Disney’s model is very clear and a repetitive illegal pattern. Once it gets challenged or exposed, the gaslighting and redirection of the blame toward anyone willing to tell the truth starts through an international well oiled publicity machine. The problem for Disney is that when they go up against someone who has concrete evidence of this happening over 100 times, many of which have led to them settling hundreds of cases if not thousands to try and continue to control critics, employees and even lawyers who sue them. The problem for them is that I have the evidence and clients willing to be truthful and they know it. These are actually facts not argument or conjecture. Over the next few months, with the brave help of those who have been illegally silenced, retaliated for simply telling the truth and then destroyed for it, one by one this bullying and illegal conduct will be exposed to the government. Beau DeMayo wants nothing from Marvel/Disney except the truth. He will bravely tell the truth. So will I. Stand by..”
What’s Next for X-Men ’97?
Now, you might be wondering, “What about the show?” Well, fear not, X-Men fans! Despite all this behind-the-scenes drama, X-Men ’97 has been knocking it out of the park. It’s got a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes (eat your heart out, other Marvel shows), and it’s even snagged an Emmy nomination. Talk about rising from the ashes!
Marvel’s already teased Season 2 at D23, and they’ve got Matthew Chauncey lined up to write Season 3. It seems like the mutants aren’t letting a little thing like a fired creator slow them down.
What’s your take on DeMayo’s firing? Could this be a sign of deeper issues within Marvel, or is it just another case of a creator stepping out of line?
Averagebeing’s Take: It looks like this case is turning into a classic “he said, they said” scenario, with both sides throwing serious accusations. While DeMayo’s actions might have made him a target for Disney, there’s no denying that Marvel’s explanation adds a layer of complexity. Either way, this messy fallout could hurt everyone involved, from the creative minds to the fans who just want to enjoy a good show.
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