In a potential bombshell revelation, X-Men ’97 creator and executive producer Beau DeMayo has spoken out against Marvel Studios and Disney, accusing them of “egregious prejudicial misconduct” in a 30-minute video posted on his OnlyFans account.
The video takes aim at Marvel’s toxic workplace, shocking discrimination, and attempts to silence his fight for creative integrity on X-Men ’97 and Blade.
Allegations of a Smear Campaign
DeMayo, who was fired just before X-Men ’97 premiered on Disney+, reveals explosive details about his experience, claiming he was unfairly dismissed after Marvel stripped his credits for Season 2.
According to Marvel, his termination followed an internal investigation, but a source for Variety alleges it was due to sexual misconduct—claims DeMayo emphatically denies.
“These allegations of egregious misconduct are false,” he declares, slamming the accusations as “lies” and part of a “smear campaign” designed to cover up misconduct within Marvel itself.
The revelations don’t stop there. DeMayo claims Marvel weaponized his identity as a gay, Black man, using damaging stereotypes like calling him “big,” “intimidating,” “angry,” “too opinionated,” and even labeling him a “pervert.”
Marvel’s Resistance to Creative Vision
In his role as showrunner for X-Men ’97, DeMayo says he fought to stay true to the source material from the X-Men comics, but his commitment to fan-favorite storylines was not well-received.
Marvel executives, he claims, wanted to create brand-new stories for the show, but DeMayo refused to compromise. As a result, he was labeled “uncollaborative” and “too much of a fanboy,” with executives openly resenting him for “fighting for the fans.”
Those brand new stories are claimed to have involved have the character of Jubilee “make gang signs or paint the sky with plasmoids in the shape of middle fingers.”
Toxic Workplace Allegations
Beyond creative differences, DeMayo’s video outlines a disturbing work environment filled with inappropriate behavior and near-criminal working conditions.
According to DeMayo, the VFX and animation artists at Marvel working on X-Men ’97 experienced “rapidly losing weight [and] having mental breakdowns” due to the demanding and intense production schedule (something said about Marvel many times). When DeMayo brought up these issues to Marvel’s leadership, he says he faced “retaliation” rather than support.
DeMayo also claims that a producer buried his report about a potentially exploitative sexual relationship between a lead and a production assistant on the show. He alleges that the same producer made inappropriate jokes, showing DeMayo’s Instagram photos to his underage son and asking, “Do they need to buy me shirts for Christmas?”
In another shocking claim, DeMayo recounts an instance during a company barbecue where an artist’s husband made a crass remark about his sexuality, saying, “I must get a lot of dick based upon how I look.”
Blacklisted from Comic-Con and the Emmys
DeMayo also alleges that Marvel went as far as blacklisting him from third-party Comic-Con panels and is barring him from attending the Emmys next week, where X-Men ’97 is nominated for Best Animated Series.
He believes these actions were in retaliation for his public social media posts about the show and his efforts to promote inclusivity, particularly after he highlighted that an episode about the mutant nation of Genosha was inspired by the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting. He also alleges that Marvel’s PR department listed “homosexuality as a hot button issue to avoid alongside school shootings, the Gaza conflict and abortion.”
Despite these alleged roadblocks, DeMayo says he remains determined to shed light on the issues he faced, stating, “This is me trying to do the right thing. And this is Marvel’s chance to do the same.”
He further claims that he has “the receipts and eyewitnesses” to back up his accusations but prefers to handle the matter privately with Marvel leadership, something he didn’t get a chance to have.
Marvel will lose the case says lawyer
His attorney, Bryan Freedman, has filed a lawsuit against Marvel, arguing that DeMayo’s separation agreement violates California law.
“Violating Beau’s statutory California rights will cost Marvel this case,” Freedman says in a statement to Variety, adding that “Marvel can no longer stop the truth from coming out.”
