While all eyes are onThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, Marvel Studios is already promoting one of their next projects,Wonder Man, in a very tongue-in-cheek way.Wonder ManstarsYahya Abdul-Mateen IIas Simon Williams, who becomes the titular superhero. Pitched as a superhero comedy about a struggling actor, not much is known about the Wonder Man series…despite it being just five months away from release. It is the next live-action entry in the franchise followingThe Fantastic Four: First Steps,and Marvel used the fact that all eyes would be on the MCU reboot’s premiere to their advantage, beginning the soft launch promotional campaign for the next Disney+ series.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II showed up at the premiere ofThe Fantastic Four: First Steps, but not as himself. Instead, heshowed up in character as Simon Williams. Marvel Studios released a video featuring “Simon Williams” discussing his personal history with the Wonder Man role, possibly offering fans a glimpse of the character’s backstory in the upcoming MCU series. “Simon Williams,” said:
“I grew up a really big fan of Wonder Man. Really big fan of comics. It was actually the first movie I saw in the theaters with my father when I was very young, and you know, that day I left the theater wanting to be a superhero. So this is amazing, and actually a very beautiful full-circle moment for me.”
When asked about his relationship withactor-turned-terrorist stand-in Trevor Slattery(Ben Kingsley’s character fromIron Man 3andShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), the interview is cut short by PR, with “Simon Williams” walking away.
What ‘Wonder Man’ Quotes Tell Us About the MCU’s Upcoming Series
This in-character interview with Abdul-Mateen II is a great way to promoteWonder Manandsell the series' Hollywood-centric comedy anglelikeThe StudioorEntourage. The quote also offers some interesting insights into the role of Wonder Man in the MCU, revealing that the role of Wonder Man is both a comic book character and a superhero movie franchise within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It appears Simon Williams has been cast in a reboot of theWonder Manfilm franchise, giving the MCU a chance to make a lot of jokes about the state of the film industry, reboots, and even poke fun at themselves.
Wonder Manalso stars Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery, who is portrayed as Simon Williams' acting coach and the person the general public in the Marvel Cinematic Universe still believes to bethe “terrorist” known as The Mandarin. Demetrius Grosse will play Simon’s brother, Eric Williams / Grim Reaper from the comics. Ed Harris has been cast as Neal Saroyan, Simon Williams' agent. Arian Moayed will return as Department of Damage Control agent P. Cleary, who previously appeared in bothSpider-Man: No Way HomeandMs. Marvel. The series is created byShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten RingsandSpider-Man: Brand New Daydirector Destin Daniel Cretton, alongsideHawkeye producer Andrew Guest.
Wonder Manis the next live-action entry in the MCU’s Phase 6 followingThe Fantastic Four: First Steps. The series will premiere in December 2025, a five-month gap fromFirst Steps, and is nowone of the few live-action projects in the concluding chapterof the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Multiverse Saga.Daredevil: Born AgainSeason 2 is expected to debut in March 2026, withSpider-Man: Brand New Dayset to open on Aug 14, 2025.Avengers: Doomsdaywill not be released in December 2026, a year afterWonder Mandebuts on Disney+, possibly laying the groundwork for Simon Williams to play a minor role in the MCU team-up film.
Source:Marvel Studios
Wonder Man
