X-Men ’97: Why a Different Actor Voices Cable, Explained

A different actor voices gruff time traveler Cable in upcoming X-Men: The Animated Series revival X-Men ’97 – we’ve explained why below.

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X-Men ’97: Why a Different Actor Voices Cable, Explained

While Lawrence Bayne played Cable in X-Men: The Animated Series, in X-Men ’97, fellow legacy cast member Chris Potter fills the role, instead. Why the switcheroo? According to showrunner Beau DeMayo, substituting Potter for Bayne enhanced the unconventional dynamic between Cable and his father, Scott Summers/Cyclops.

As established in Marvel’s X-Men comics (and strongly implied in X-Men: The Animated Series), Cable’s secret identity is Nathan Summers: the child of Cyclops and Jean Grey clone Madelyne Pryor. Thanks to convoluted time travel shenanigans, Cable is actually older than his pops – and DeMayo wanted to reflect this objectively strange set-up in X-Men ’97‘s performances.

“[Recasting Cable] 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 recently told Entertainment Weekly. “And making sure the vocal qualities tell that story when they’re talking to each other.” The showrunner also teased Cable’s “huge arc” in X-Men ’97 Season 1, indicating that the Disney+ show will finally cover aspects of Nathan Summers’ backstory only hinted at in X-Men: The Animated Series.

Related: X-Men ’97: Are the Original X-Men Voice Actors Coming Back?

That’s great news for Cable fans – not to mention Potter, who still gets to participate in X-Men ‘97 despite losing the Remy LeBeau/Gambit part to newcomer A. J. LoCascio. But what about Bayne? Don’t worry, he’s still very much on the scene, too. Bayne portrays a new character, supervillain Carl Dentil/X-Cutioner, in X-Men ’97‘s initial 10-episode run.

X-Cutioner’s inclusion in X-Men ’97 is somewhat surprising, given he’s a decidedly less all-ages baddie than the likes of Magneto or Mister Sinister. Indeed, as portrayed in the show’s source material, X-Cutioner is essentially a serial killer who targets mutants! This could push the boundaries of X-Men ’97‘s relatively tame TV-14 rating, so aspects of the X-Cutioner’s characterization and M.O. may be toned down for his cartoon debut.

X-Men ’97 arrives on Disney+ on March 20, 2024, and will run for 10 episodes.