Thomas Storai 
“Wonder Man is Marvel’s boldest creative swing in years, breaking away from the usual formula and doing its own thing. It’s a meta-commentary on superhero fatigue executed with real depth.”
While all eyes are on Avengers: Doomsday later this year, the MCU kicks off 2026 with a brand-new Disney+ series—Wonder Man—introducing an unexpected Marvel hero. This marks the return of director Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi) to the MCU. He co-created the series with Andrew Guest, who’s also an executive producer and directed two episodes. It stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Ben Kingsley, Zlatko Burić, and Arian Moayed. The series debuts tomorrow on Disney+, and all 8 episodes will be available at the same time.
NOT YOUR TYPICAL MARVEL SERIES
Undoubtedly, Wonder Man is not your usual superhero series, far from it. But it’s a reminder that Marvel can be so many different things. The MCU post-Endgame has given the fans stories of various genres. We got some classic superhero stories, but we also got stories that intimately tackled depression, like Thunderbolts, or that relied heavily on science fiction, like Loki, or that were influenced by the horror genre, like Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. And with Wonder Man, it’s a whole different story. It’s not just a different genre, it’s truly something that’s outside the formula. Indeed, this series isn’t your big action superhero series.
On the contrary, the main topic isn’t about superheroes; it’s there, but the heart of the story is about an aspiring actor, Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), who’s struggling with his career. Simon meets Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), who we all know as the actor who played the Mandarin in Iron Man 3 and who returned in Shang-Chi: The Legend of the Ten Rings. This unlikely duo is working together to pursue life-changing roles with the remake of the superhero film “Wonder Man” by Von Kovak (Zlatko Burić).
STRUGGLING ACTORS
Wonder Man is a story that does its own thing far away from the rest of the Multiverse Saga while still living inside the MCU. It’s a meta-commentary on superhero fatigue and show business, and a love letter to cinema. There are so many references to the filmmaking industry, with even some actors showing up to play themselves. It really goes deep inside the world of Hollywood, showing a peek behind the curtain of this industry. This series explores what it’s like to be a struggling actor with great depth. Simon and Trevor come from different backgrounds, so it’s pretty intriguing to see them working together and bonding over their shared struggle while learning from one another. Simon has big hopes and big dreams, and Trevor wants to reinvent himself after the Mandarin incident.
It’s a bold move for Marvel to make a series like this, and it works. It’s an incredibly creative story that’s entertaining all the way to the end and quite moving. Actually, it’s a powerful story about friendship in the entertainment industry. Superpowers play a role in this story, but they have a limited impact here; it’s all about the human aspect – the characters and their struggles. Because of that, hardcore MCU fans may not love it, but it’s the answer to superhero fatigue. It deals with that in such an innovative way. If you’ve found yourself tired of watching superheroes, watch this series; you’ll find a lot of things to love in this one. And if you love superheroes, give it a watch too; you may enjoy it.
I’m someone who loves the MCU. I watch every new series and film, and I’ve loved them. It’s not every day we see a series like this one. It may very well be one of the best Marvel series ever, thanks to its creativity and its willingness to break the formula and be its own thing.
CAST
Moreover, the series heavily relies on Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley. The two have an incredible onscreen chemistry; it’s a captivating duo. They have this magnetic appeal you can’t get enough of. The comedy feels so natural here. Abdul-Mateen II and Kingsley both deliver nuanced, excellent performances. They really get the audience behind their struggles while also bringing us along for all the fun they have. Kingsley is so effortlessly funny as Trevor Slattery.
VERDICT
Wonder Man is Marvel’s boldest creative swing in years, breaking away from the usual formula and doing its own thing. At its heart, it’s an entertaining and moving story about struggling actors in Hollywood. It’s a meta-commentary on superhero fatigue and the entertainment industry, executed with real depth. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley form a captivating duo, both delivering nuanced, excellent performances. This series is an absolute must-watch.
Wonder Man releases tomorrow on Disney+.
Collectables and Anime Editor for Future Of The Force.
Star Wars expert and Japan connoisseur.
