Cyclops is back in the upcoming Disney+ X-Men: The Animated Series revival X-Men ’97 – but his original vocal performer isn’t. So, read on to find out why a different voice actor voices Cyclops in X-Men ’97!
Related: All Major Voice Actors & Cast List for X-Men ’97
X-Men ’97: Why a Different Actor Voices Cyclops, Explained
While Norm Spencer portrayed Scott Summers/Cyclops in X-Men: The Animated Series Seasons 1-5, Ray Chase voices the mutant superhero in X-Men ’97. Why did Chase replace Spencer? Because, sadly, Spencer died in August 2020. This was at least a year before X-Men ’97 entered production, so Spencer didn’t have the opportunity to record Cyclop’s lines prior to his death. Chase was officially announced as Spencer’s successor in November 2021.
A 16-year voice acting veteran, Chase’s credits include roles in films, TV shows, and video games. He is particularly prolific when it comes to English dubs of anime productions, having lent his pipes to the likes of The End of Evangelion, Your Name, and Attack on Titan. Chase’s CV also boasts installments from several big-name video game franchises, including Grand Theft Auto, Final Fantasy, Borderlands, and Diablo.
Related: X-Men ’97: Are the Original X-Men Voice Actors Coming Back?
Interestingly, Chase stepping into the Cyclops role isn’t X-Men ’97 Season 1’s only Summers family-related casting shake-up. Scott’s wife, Jean Grey, and son, Nathan Summers/Cable, are both portrayed by different actors in the revival series. Jennifer Hale replaces X-Men: The Animated Series‘ Catherine Disher as Jean, while Chris Potter takes over from Lawrence Bayne as Cable.
Disher and Bayne are still part of the X-Men ’97 cast, though. The pair are on board as different characters; Disher as Dr. Valerie “Val” Cooper and Bayne as Carl Denti/The X-Cutioner. Showrunner Beau DeMayo addressed Disher and Bayne’s recasting in a recent Entertainment Weekly interview.
According to DeMayo, reassigning Disher to the Val role meant she could “deliver the thesis” of X-Men ’97. Meanwhile, subbing in Potter for Bayne gave the Cyclops/Cable scenes the “vocal qualities” necessary for communicating their unique dynamic. “It was really [about] how do we make sure that the audience knows that this is a weird relationship where the father is younger than the son,” DeMayo explained.
X-Men ’97 arrives on Disney+ on March 20, 2024, and will run for 10 episodes.
