Marvel's Wonder Man Preview Reveals The MCU's Most Self-Referential Series Ever
Marvel is aware that viewers could be experiencing some superhero fatigue, so they've decided to include that very idea into their next superhero show.
That's right, the first preview for Wonder Man has been released, and it promises a self-referential angle on the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The trailer, which debuted on October 10th, also quietly pushed the Wonder Man release date later from its initial late 2025 window into January 2026.
Why another superhero movie? Everyone is weary of superheroes. Why go see them in the theater? Wonder Man resonated with me on a deep level. There is an opportunity to surprise viewers. To reimagine the entire genre of storytelling.
The reporter responds: "Have you given any thought about the cast?"
The trailer then cuts to series star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who's viewing the conversation on his phone, and the trailer concludes.
What We Know About Wonder Man
We already knew that Wonder Man would be a meta take on the MCU. The show stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as the character Simon Williams, a film star who transforms into a super-powered being (Wonder Man).
The rest of the cast features Ben Kingsley reprising his role as Iron Man 3's Trevor Slattery, Demetrius Grosse as Eric Williams (also known as Grim Reaper), Ed Harris as Simon's agent Neal Saroyan, and Arian Moayed coming back as Department of Damage Control agent P. Cleary.
The Studio's Meta-Humor Approach
We have limited information about the plot of Wonder Man, but it's clear that Marvel plans to laugh at its own tropes.
In the wake of Deadpool & Wolverine, it appears like the studio is fully committed on meta-humor. Will this approach succeed without the celebrity appeal of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman? We'll have to wait and see.