The MCU continues to extend its tendrils into Disney+, and while Marvel didn't have a lot of huge news to drop about its animated offerings, it did have a few updates and announcements. Among the more anticipated shows covered? Spider-Man: Freshman Year and X-Men '97.
Spidey's latest 'toon, originally announced during last year's Disney+ Day, will be set before Peter Parker (no word yet on who is voicing him if it's not Tom Holland) joins Iron Man and co. in the MCU.
As the name suggests, it will feature a more homemade version of his suit but will also see him interact with some familiar villains and some heroes we've already met. The biggest news on Freshman Year was word that Charlie Cox will voice Matt Murdock and that a second season, Spider-Man: Sophomore Year, is also in the works.
The other characters include Nico Minoru, a comics character from the Runaways team; Amadeus Cho, who becomes Hulk; a Wakandan student and Harry Osborn. Also joining are Unicorn, Chameleon, Scorpion, Speed Demon, Tarantula, Rhino, Butane, Doc Ock and Doctor Strange — all different from the movies. Charlie Cox will return to voice Daredevil, while Norman Osborn will be a mentor for Peter and Paul F. Tomkins (who moderated the panel) voices new character Bentley Wittman. We'll have to wait until 2024 for Freshman Year.
As for X-Men '97, the show will continue the legacy of the classic X-Men: The Animated Series and has Rogue, Beast, Gambit, Jean Grey, Wolverine, Storm, Jubilee and Cyclops among its roster plus Magneto, Cable, Bishop, Morph and Nightcrawler. They'll face the Hellfire Club, including Emma Frost and Sebastian Shaw, plus Mr. Sinister and Bolivar Trask.
Trask was featured in an animatic from early work on the series, sending his Sentinels to threaten our heroes. The animation style is updated, but stays true to the look of the 1990s original. And in bonus news, the episodic order of that show will be rearranged so events including the Dark Phoenix storyline no longer appear in the wrong place. The show will arrive in autumn 2023.
On the What If…? front, we got word that a third season has been commissioned, and brief looks at Season 2 before new footage screened. The next season kicks off early next year.
Captain Carter is back, with Black Widow and Steve Rodgers in the Iron Man suit from the first season. The series will feature a medieval episode taking place in 1602; an episode where characters from Shang-Chi fight Odin; a racing episode with Valkyrie and Iron Man on Sakaar from Thor: Ragnarok, more Captain Carter fighting threats from Season 1; plus old Peggy and Steve Rogers reuniting.
Marvel Zombies spins off (obviously) from the undead episode of What If…? and promises to throw a new group of heroes including Yelena and Red Guardian from Black Widow, Shang-Chi and associated characters including Katy and Death Dealer Kate Bishop, Jimmy Woo and Ms. Marvel into a post-apocalyptic world to face zombie versions of several MCU characters. Zombies has no set date yet.
Finally, a closest to arriving is I Am Groot, in which everyone's favourite toddler tree (voiced by Vin Diesel) has adventures among the stars. The first five shorts will be on Disney+ from 10 August and will feature Bradley Cooper playing Rocket Raccoon.
The second batch of shorts has already been ordered and the trailer for the first run is below.