After a day of rumors involvingNeve Campbelljoining the X-Men franchise, it has finally been confirmed that she is joining the cast ofX-Men ‘97. On August 01, 2025, rumors began to circulate thatScreamstar Neve Campbell had been cast as the mutant Polaris, in eitherAvengers: Doomsdayor the upcomingX-Menreboot Marvel Studios is planning. However, with theX-Menreboot only now hiring a director, that felt unlikely. Meanwhile, others questioned whyAvengers: Doomsdaywould introduce a new character in what already looks like a stacked cast.
Now, Comic Book Movie is reporting that Neve Campbell has, in fact, been cast as Polaris, but instead of playing the character in live-action, she will voice her inX-Men ‘97. FormerX-Men ‘97showrunner Beau DeMayo confirmed this news on X, saying he cast her for Season 2 while still on the series.Despite DeMayo being fired fromX-Men ‘97for inappropriate workplace behavior, it appears that Marvel Animation is keeping a lot of his work on Season 2, including Campbell’s involvement as Polaris.
Polaris’ X-Men History, Explained
Created by writer Arnold Drake and artist Jim Steranko, Polaris first appeared inThe X-Men#49 in October 1968. Real name Lorna Dane, she is the daughter of the X-Men’s most iconic villain, Magneto, and even possesses his same powers, as she can control and manipulate metal. However, this revelation was not revealed in the comics until 2003, after Polaris had previously appeared inX-Men: The Animated Series, voiced by Mary Long. In the originalX-Men: The Animated Series, she was amember of X-Forceand, like in the comics, was in a romantic relationship with Havoc, the brother of Cyclops.
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Polaris has appeared in otherX-Men-related properties. Liza del Mundo voiced the character inWolverine and the X-Men, and was the first adaptation to depict Polaris as part of the House of M family alongside her then-canonical half-siblings Wanda and Pietro Maximoff, aka The Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, respectively. Nick Dumont played Polaris in live-action in theFox seriesThe Gifted. Even thoughX-Men ‘97has brought back many original voice actors from the original series, they’ve also recast some roles. In the case of Polaris, it appears they wanted a slightly bigger name for what is expected to be an expanded role.
Teases of Polaris were sprinkled throughoutX-Men ‘97’s first season, with DeMayo clearly intending to expand her role in Season 2.X-Men ‘97is adapting elements from the Marvel Comics that were introduced to the X-Men lore after the original series debuted, including Season 2, which looks to emphasize theorigins of Apocalypse as En Sabah Nur, a name that was not revealed until 1996. This likely means thatX-Men ‘97Season 2 will incorporate Polaris and Magneto’s family connection into the series.
Magneto is seemingly aware of Polaris as his daughter, as inX-Men ‘97Season 1 finale, his mindscape showed her silhouette alongside Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, who he discovered were his children inX-Men: The Animated Series. Will Marvel Animation keep those two as Magneto’s children, or will Polaris be Magneto’s only child in the X-Men universe?
Source:Comic Book Movie/Beau DeMayo (X)
