Wonder Man Season 1 (2026)
In 2019, following the common trend at the time, Disney launched their own unique streaming service, Disney+. Disney+ launched with two specific intended pathways for success. First, Disney+ would be the exclusive streaming home of Disney's massive and iconic library, including the works of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and much more. There was so much content that Disney even advertised this with an over-3-hour video on YouTube listing everything that would be available through the platform on launch. The other offering through Disney+ was its original content, which looked to revolutionize storytelling in its major properties by allowing television shows to directly weave into their theatrical releases. This could be seen nowhere better than in the MCU. Within the first year of release, Disney+ would offer WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, and would be on the verge of releasing Hawkeye. Each of these shows continued to follow pivotal characters in the MCU as Phase 4 was built. Television would continue to be baked into the MCU with every phase of the shared universe that followed, containing a multitude of streaming productions. However, it was quickly realized that this storytelling plan brought its own growing pains. Both reception and viewership for the shows significantly varied, and it became apparent that forcing audiences to keep track of the amount of content being provided was not effective. For those who did follow along with the hours upon hours of MCU content, the payoff was also questionable when it tied into the larger theatrical tentpole releases. For fans of WandaVision, Wanda Maximoff's arc in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness felt reductive and like a betrayal of the growth seen from the character in her show. Some established plotlines, such as that set up in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, took years to find any relevance in the theatrical slate, also hurting the perception of importance these shows once carried.
Clearly aware of these problems, Disney+ would refocus its energy on originals, stripping back the direct connection between streaming product and larger story. This would echo the role television played in the earlier MCU, offering the chance for smaller stories and new characters to be introduced and explored with minimal connection to the larger MCU. Disney+ would go as far as to create the "Marvel Spotlight" banner to signal to audiences that a project didn't have a connection to the larger MCU story, encouraging those who haven't kept up with the universe to feel welcome to jump in without context. While these projects could feature characters from a previous MCU plotline, such as Wilson Fisk in Echo, their narratives are largely separated and original, removing the burden of having to understand the hundreds of hours of content that came before it. The newest series to be released under this banner is Wonder Man.
Created by Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest, Wonder Man erases the comic book origin story and known identity of Simon Williams and instead introduces him as a struggling actor living in Los Angeles, played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Whether due to a competitive casting market or his often annoying attention to detail on set, Williams has failed to have his breakout and is feeling the pressure both from those around him and his family at home, who have been financially funding his attempt at acting. By chance, at a screening of John Schlesinger's Midnight Cowboy, Williams meets Trevor Slattery, once again played by Ben Kingsley. After being broken out of prison and the events of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Slattery has returned to Los Angeles and befriends Williams. Together, they audition for a new remake of Wonder Man, one of the films pivotal in starting Williams' for film and desire to be an actor.
For being an 8-episode season of television, Wonder Man falters quickly in its attempt to fill the runtime, as there is a notable lack of substance for the series to work with on a narrative level. As one might notice from the above plot summary, Wonder Man feels bold as an MCU project, as there is no supervillain that needs to be fought or a world which needs to be saved. It is possible that Wonder Man is the first MCU project to lack even a single superpowered battle. Instead, the series focuses on a much smaller scale of Williams trying to navigate Hollywood and deal with the pressures of that journey. One of these pressures comes from his superpowers, which he must keep secret from everyone due to the Doorman Clause, which banned those with superpowers from participating in productions after a tragic accident involving a hero who went by the name Doorman. Unaware to Williams, the government has put the pieces together that he does have powers and has started to build a case against him, but this largely remains out of sight for the protagonist as he focuses on his auditions. Outside of a drawn-out liar-revealed plot, Wonder Man ends up having very little to do in its runtime. While it is commendable to see a project focus on such a small-scale character and human drama, this change in scope and identity has to be met with something compelling to engage the audience and provide a substantial viewing experience, something Wonder Man ultimately fails to do.
While it is far from painful to spend time with Williams and Slattery as they travel throughout Los Angeles and participate in filler side quests, largely thanks to the strong performances and chemistry found from Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley, it can feel like a struggle at times to feel motivated to return to the series when taking a break between episodes. The saving grace for the series is the shorter episode runtimes, which often run around 30-minutes; this will still prove to be a challenge for many who require more moving parts to remain engaged. The smaller throughlines of drama and tension might lead some audiences to hope for a grand conclusion, but the results of these plots are tremendously underwhelming in the final pair of episodes. To be given a chance like an original series in the MCU that largely doesn't have to be constrained by the requirements of the shared universe it belongs to or the modern conventions of the superhero genre, it feels baffling that the final result would be so lacking in plot and voice.
Set in Los Angeles with a focus on the world of filmmaking, one might expect Wonder Man to carry a certain reverence for cinema, injecting itself with love for the medium. This angle is somewhat present, but also feels like a ghost of what it could have been. The show is quick to mention older films and aspects of the modern film fandom, such as the Criterion Collection, but none of these references feel substantial. While Wonder Man was in production at the time of its release, it feels as if the film wanted to commit to this cinephile identity it had a lesson to learn from Seth Rogen's The Studio, which directly injects every frame of its runtime with a clear passion for filmmaking. If there is a passion that shines through in Wonder Man, it would be for the city of Los Angeles. The series makes the most of its setting, using classic LA locations and having multiple of its best jokes being references that only locals to the city would ever understand. For those who have spent significant time in Los Angeles, it is hard not to laugh at relatable situations, such as the struggle of leaving Hollywood because of Hollywood Bowl traffic, but it is important to remember that for the majority of the audience, these situations will lack any noteworthy impact.
Still, despite these flaws and the underwhelming nature of the plot within Wonder Man, it is hard to hold contempt for the show. What it does deliver, it does with basic competence. The show plays it safe, never committing to an absurdist twist or turn or creating a plot decision that will be abrasive to any audience member. In scaling down the scope of Wonder Man, it feels like the show also scaled back its ambition, providing an experience that is tediously basic, but never embarassing on execution. Even the naturally interesting sides to the Wonder Man character from the comic series, which had many speculating and anticipating the show is completely erased, giving fans of the character an easy road to disappointment. The most compelling piece of the show would be the implications of the Doorman clause and the othering this naturally puts on Williams as he has to hide his identity from everyone around him, echoing how Hollywood has embraced othering, whether based on perceived political beliefs during the Red Scare or due to internal identities such as being LGBTQ+. While Wonder Man captures the basics of the power dynamics in this systemic othering, one should not expect the film to find any dialogue on the concept that would push beneath the absolute surface of the discussion it is touching on.
As with the majority of Disney+ MCU shows, Wonder Man feels destined to be lost in the waves of available content. While watchable, Wonder Man never finds anything deeper than its initial premise, which sits stagnant throughout the entire season. There is something to be found in the chemistry between the show's leads, but with the current makeup of MCU projects, it is hard to imagine either will likely be seen ever again. Wonder Man is not painful, but it gives little reason to invest.
Clearly aware of these problems, Disney+ would refocus its energy on originals, stripping back the direct connection between streaming product and larger story. This would echo the role television played in the earlier MCU, offering the chance for smaller stories and new characters to be introduced and explored with minimal connection to the larger MCU. Disney+ would go as far as to create the "Marvel Spotlight" banner to signal to audiences that a project didn't have a connection to the larger MCU story, encouraging those who haven't kept up with the universe to feel welcome to jump in without context. While these projects could feature characters from a previous MCU plotline, such as Wilson Fisk in Echo, their narratives are largely separated and original, removing the burden of having to understand the hundreds of hours of content that came before it. The newest series to be released under this banner is Wonder Man.
Created by Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest, Wonder Man erases the comic book origin story and known identity of Simon Williams and instead introduces him as a struggling actor living in Los Angeles, played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Whether due to a competitive casting market or his often annoying attention to detail on set, Williams has failed to have his breakout and is feeling the pressure both from those around him and his family at home, who have been financially funding his attempt at acting. By chance, at a screening of John Schlesinger's Midnight Cowboy, Williams meets Trevor Slattery, once again played by Ben Kingsley. After being broken out of prison and the events of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Slattery has returned to Los Angeles and befriends Williams. Together, they audition for a new remake of Wonder Man, one of the films pivotal in starting Williams' for film and desire to be an actor.
For being an 8-episode season of television, Wonder Man falters quickly in its attempt to fill the runtime, as there is a notable lack of substance for the series to work with on a narrative level. As one might notice from the above plot summary, Wonder Man feels bold as an MCU project, as there is no supervillain that needs to be fought or a world which needs to be saved. It is possible that Wonder Man is the first MCU project to lack even a single superpowered battle. Instead, the series focuses on a much smaller scale of Williams trying to navigate Hollywood and deal with the pressures of that journey. One of these pressures comes from his superpowers, which he must keep secret from everyone due to the Doorman Clause, which banned those with superpowers from participating in productions after a tragic accident involving a hero who went by the name Doorman. Unaware to Williams, the government has put the pieces together that he does have powers and has started to build a case against him, but this largely remains out of sight for the protagonist as he focuses on his auditions. Outside of a drawn-out liar-revealed plot, Wonder Man ends up having very little to do in its runtime. While it is commendable to see a project focus on such a small-scale character and human drama, this change in scope and identity has to be met with something compelling to engage the audience and provide a substantial viewing experience, something Wonder Man ultimately fails to do.
While it is far from painful to spend time with Williams and Slattery as they travel throughout Los Angeles and participate in filler side quests, largely thanks to the strong performances and chemistry found from Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley, it can feel like a struggle at times to feel motivated to return to the series when taking a break between episodes. The saving grace for the series is the shorter episode runtimes, which often run around 30-minutes; this will still prove to be a challenge for many who require more moving parts to remain engaged. The smaller throughlines of drama and tension might lead some audiences to hope for a grand conclusion, but the results of these plots are tremendously underwhelming in the final pair of episodes. To be given a chance like an original series in the MCU that largely doesn't have to be constrained by the requirements of the shared universe it belongs to or the modern conventions of the superhero genre, it feels baffling that the final result would be so lacking in plot and voice.
Set in Los Angeles with a focus on the world of filmmaking, one might expect Wonder Man to carry a certain reverence for cinema, injecting itself with love for the medium. This angle is somewhat present, but also feels like a ghost of what it could have been. The show is quick to mention older films and aspects of the modern film fandom, such as the Criterion Collection, but none of these references feel substantial. While Wonder Man was in production at the time of its release, it feels as if the film wanted to commit to this cinephile identity it had a lesson to learn from Seth Rogen's The Studio, which directly injects every frame of its runtime with a clear passion for filmmaking. If there is a passion that shines through in Wonder Man, it would be for the city of Los Angeles. The series makes the most of its setting, using classic LA locations and having multiple of its best jokes being references that only locals to the city would ever understand. For those who have spent significant time in Los Angeles, it is hard not to laugh at relatable situations, such as the struggle of leaving Hollywood because of Hollywood Bowl traffic, but it is important to remember that for the majority of the audience, these situations will lack any noteworthy impact.
Still, despite these flaws and the underwhelming nature of the plot within Wonder Man, it is hard to hold contempt for the show. What it does deliver, it does with basic competence. The show plays it safe, never committing to an absurdist twist or turn or creating a plot decision that will be abrasive to any audience member. In scaling down the scope of Wonder Man, it feels like the show also scaled back its ambition, providing an experience that is tediously basic, but never embarassing on execution. Even the naturally interesting sides to the Wonder Man character from the comic series, which had many speculating and anticipating the show is completely erased, giving fans of the character an easy road to disappointment. The most compelling piece of the show would be the implications of the Doorman clause and the othering this naturally puts on Williams as he has to hide his identity from everyone around him, echoing how Hollywood has embraced othering, whether based on perceived political beliefs during the Red Scare or due to internal identities such as being LGBTQ+. While Wonder Man captures the basics of the power dynamics in this systemic othering, one should not expect the film to find any dialogue on the concept that would push beneath the absolute surface of the discussion it is touching on.
As with the majority of Disney+ MCU shows, Wonder Man feels destined to be lost in the waves of available content. While watchable, Wonder Man never finds anything deeper than its initial premise, which sits stagnant throughout the entire season. There is something to be found in the chemistry between the show's leads, but with the current makeup of MCU projects, it is hard to imagine either will likely be seen ever again. Wonder Man is not painful, but it gives little reason to invest.