With the success of X-Men ’97's first season in 2024, the billion-dollar blockbuster Deadpool and Wolverine, and refreshingly original Agatha All Along, Disney and Marvel Studios personified less is more last year. Now, they are continuing the hot streak with a highly anticipated rollout of content for 2025. This includes the recent release of long-awaited series Daredevil: Born Again in March, and the critically-acclaimed blockbuster Thunderbolts* this month.
Yes, it's clear that Marvel has had a great start to the summer of 2025 and that trend of positivity appears to be continuing as we head towards the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps. One other piece of good news is that '90s legend and the Scream franchise's "Final Girl" Neve Campbell has been cast as the voice of Polaris in the second season of X-Men ’97. Fans couldn't be more excited for her to take on the role as the Critics' Choice Award winner will premiere season 2 in 2026.
It was series creator and former executive producer Beau DeMayo who made the announcement as he praised Campbell's work in the role of Polaris, saying:
"She does amazing work bringing something new, and felt right to have a '90s icon pick up where Lorna’s story was left off in "Cold Comfort."
Polaris' history in X-Men '97 and Marvel Comics, explained
DeMayo’s mention of “Cold Comfort” refers to the episode of X-Men: The Animated Series in which the character appears in (season 3, episode 11). That storyline was left open-ended with Polaris' former lover, Iceman (Bobby Drake), being heartbroken because of his needless attempt to rescue her. Iceman believed Polaris needed his help; however, she was engaged to Havok (Alex Summers), Cyclops’ younger brother, and he [Iceman] also discovered that she willingly joined the government’s mutant team X-Factor - leaving Polaris' storyline up in the air. Perhaps now we’ll get some answers as we know that she will be back in sequel series in X-Men ’97.
Polaris, real name Dr. Lorna Sally Dane is a brilliant scientist and geophysicist who has the potential to become an Omega-level mutant with her magnetic field manipulation and her electromagnetic spectrum powers (including electromagnetic energy as well as electricity). She, like many mutants, often has complicated relationship history with her Omega Level father Magneto, who has similar magnetic manipulation powers. I suspect the casting of Neve Campbell will not be wasted and creators will likely plan to give her a lot of storyline and emotional drama to work with - especially given how important Magneto is to the show.
That being said, depending on the direction of the series, it will be interesting to see if X-Men '97 creators will explore Polaris' struggles with bipolar disorder or her bouts as a villain when she was possessed with the entity Malice or her transformation into Pestilence as a Horseman of the Apocalypse. Both the original animated series and the Disney Plus revival are incredibly thoughtful when it comes to telling important storylines, so that would undoubtedly be the same here.
Regardless of their creative direction, there have been rumors that Campbell would join the MCU in Avengers: Doomsday as Polaris. It is possible, as a continuity consideration, now that she is cast as Polaris for X-Men '97. DeMayo said that the rumor was incorrect in his revelation that Campbell was actually voicing the character in the animated series instead, so that likely rules this out.
However, in a previous article, I speculated that Avengers: Doomsday directors Joe and Anthony Russo should cast and introduce Millie Bobby Brown into the MCU as Polaris. It would be a great opportunity to introduce the character to MCU audiences. Whoever is eventually cast as Polaris in the Marvel Studios franchise, I am sure they will give an entertainingly magnetic performance!