The Marvel Cinematic Universe has had some struggles with its television offerings, but the recent teaser for Wonder Man suggests something truly meta and unique that could be one of their most original offerings yet. Following in the footsteps of She-Hulk: LawyerMarvel’s next release appears to bring an original and humorous take on the world of superhero cinema from a completely different context, set in Los Angeles. Simon Williams’ powers don’t appear to be on display in the teaser, which focuses on the world itself.
Although the series is still quite far away, scheduled for release in December 2025, the Wonder Man trailer teases how Simon Williams’ story will be explored in a refreshing way. Veteran superhero star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II stars as the titular hero, fresh from his role as Black Manta in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. This new role appears to explore a different side of Abdul-Mateen, whose star has been rising in Hollywood in recent years for good reason, and is expected to rise even further with Wonder Man and its unique narrative choices.
Wonder Man Looks Ready to Completely Rewrite the Comic Book Character
This new take on the hero doesn’t seem to have much to do with the Marvel comics
The small trailer Wonder Man featured in a Marvel Television reel – shows Simon Williams entering an audition to play the role of Wonder Man in an upcoming film. This is a departure from the comics, which saw Simon Williams become Wonder Man before joining the world of Hollywood. In fact, in the comics, Williams started out as an enemy of the Avengers due to Baron Zemo’s schemes, and later ended up joining the team. Williams then founded the West Coast Avengers.
None of this appears to be present in the upcoming series, where Simon appears to be simply an actor looking for work. Without this dark past behind him and without these greater ties to the Marvel Cinematic Universe – including a competitive relationship with Iron Man – it’s likely the character is being reimagined primarily for the show. How Wonder Man and his incredible ionic powers translate into the series remains to be seen, but the series appears to be an original and interesting take on what superhero movies could be within a world where they are already real.
Marvel has found success with meta properties like Deadpool
Following in the footsteps of The boys and even HBO’s latest comedy The franchise, Wonder Manfrom Marvel, seeks to explore the production of a superhero film. This is a very meta idea whose tone will be interesting to see. With productions like Rogers: The Musical already established in the MCU, it’s clear that superheroes influence media in this world, and it will be interesting to see how this will be explored in the upcoming series.
With characters like Trevor Slattery set to play a major role and Ralph Bohner rumored to appear, the larger world of actors within the MCU will be explored in the upcoming series. However, it doesn’t seem like the series will be meta in the same way as Deadpool and She-Hulkwhich saw the heroes talking to the audience. Instead of, Wonder Man seems like a refreshing look at superhero filmmaking from within the genre itself.
Marvel could create something truly iconic with Wonder Man
The Disney+ series premieres in December 2025
There aren’t likely many people who have a better view of what it means to make a superhero movie than the production team behind this show. With Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton behind the series, there seems to be a real passion for original superhero stories being explored here, but in a way that still allows the MCU to interrogate classic comic book tales in new ways. Viewing this as a Marvel Spotlight series will allow the series to be effective without having to tie into the larger MCU story.
Simon Williams has had a strange place in Marvel Comics, and understanding how he fits into this larger universe is a promising prospect. THE Wonder Man cast is led by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who has proven himself to be an excellent comic book film and television actor with his significant roles in Aquaman and Watchmen. Seeing him star in a series like this is an excellent proposal. Combined with the creative team behind it, this series could likely be truly special.
Marvel’s television schedule for 2025 is interesting and varied, with Wonder Man being perhaps the most unusual project on the list. While not much is known about the series yet, the setting and tone feel unique in the universe. Expanding the scope and feel of the MCU in Wonder Man It’s an exciting prospect, and based on the team behind this series – both behind and in front of the camera – the project is sure to develop into something distinct and engaging.
Launching on Disney+ as a limited series, Marvel Studios’ Wonder Man introduces the titular Avengers hero to the MCU. Starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as actor-turned-superhero Simon Williams, Wonder Man also features Ben Kingsley, who reprises his role from Iron Man 3, and Shang-Chi as eccentric dramatic actor Trevor Slattery.