‘Wonder Man’: A Bold, Character-Driven Detour from the MCU Machine
Marvel Studios’ Wonder Man hits Disney+ on January 27th. I was provided access to watch all eight episodes early, and I can say with confidence that it’s among the most audacious and successful entries since the MCU began tackling television in 2021.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, the standout of DC’s Aquaman, brings an emotional vulnerability and sensitivity to the character that we don’t often see in superhero entertainment. And that’s the biggest distinction from this series and other similar outings: Wonder Man isn’t a superhero story; it’s a character study sprinkled with meta humor and fantastic performances.
Marvel has a lot riding on 2026. Two of their three films released last year were received well by critics and audiences, but fans are still nervous, if not cautiously optimistic, as we slowly lurch closer to Avengers: Doomsday. While the events of Wonder Man won’t weigh heavily on the encroaching danger presented by Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom, it serves as a reminder of how great the MCU can be when in capable, creative-driven hands.
Wonder Man features a simple yet effective premise
Simon Williams is a struggling actor with a secret: he has superpowers. When he learns that Wonder Man, a superhero movie he’s loved since childhood, is being remade by esteemed filmmaker Von Kovak (Zlatko Burić, Superman), he sets out to ensure that he lands the role.
Ben Kingsley (The Thursday Murder Club, Gandhi) returns to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Trevor Slattery, a role he first played in Iron Man 3 before reprising the part in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
As a disgraced actor himself, Slattery serves as the eccentric acting coach, guiding Simon through the ups and downs of the film industry. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley are perfect together. Their characters are polar opposites, but their shared status as outcasts and their longing to be accepted bond them.
Wonder Man serves as a largely detached and disconnected branch of the ever-expanding MCU tree. Its existence is non-consequential to the larger cinematic universe, and maintaining that distance is the best thing Marvel can do with their streaming series. Instead, it uses the larger universe to weave a genuinely unique and compelling story.
Kingsley’s Slattery serves as the only significant link, and the character is used perfectly, delivering laughs, emotional depth, and propelling the story. It would seem Marvel Studios has learned from their prior efforts, taking the best elements of their various shows to craft a strong and cohesive amalgamation.
While She-Hulk: Attorney at Law drew criticism for being too light and comedically driven, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier for its generic, serious, and preachy storyline, Wonder Man finds the happy medium.
Through eight briskly paced thirty-minute episodes, we connect with Simon Williams on a level that often takes several films to achieve. The story is light on action, choosing instead to approach the material as a character study.
Superpowers are often approached as a gift to the characters that possess them, but here we see the negative effects they have on an ordinary citizen. Simon isn’t a hero, and he doesn’t want to be. He was born to be an actor, but superpowered beings are banned from the film industry as they’re deemed to be too much of a liability. This simple industry standard forces Simon to hide who he really is from the world.
A perfect balance of humor and story from this Marvel Studios series
Wonder Man is probably a bit stranger than audiences are expecting. It’s extremely meta in its approach to Hollywood and superheroes in cinema and often plays into uncomfortable, cringe-inducing comedy. At times, primarily when Simon is on a film set or auditioning for a role, it feels reminiscent of Curb Your Enthusiasm or Seth Rogen’s The Studio.
Our lead is likable. He’s kindhearted and caring, but ultimately self-destructive and unable to read the social cues of those around him. He’s simultaneously overconfident and completely insecure. This blend of competing traits makes for a layered performance that showcases Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s talents.
At its core, Wonder Man is an effectively entertaining and engaging series worthy of its existence regardless of the MCU. As a stand-alone story, it works, delivering a cohesive narrative that feels satisfyingly complete.
Still, there’s room to revisit Simon Williams and Travis Slattery, especially as the series begins to reach a deeper level of character exploration at its conclusion. If the series is the success with fans I imagine it will be, there’s a strong likelihood of a second season becoming a reality.
