Marvel's Wonder Man Footage Directly Targets The Biggest Superhero Complaint

Fans have been waiting for more footage from the Disney+ show "Wonder Man" for quite a while, with news of the somewhat complicated superhero getting his own series (starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams/Wonder Man) all the way back in 2022. That footage is finally here (see below), and while it's only a minute long, it does give us an interesting little taste of what "Wonder Man" might actually be about. 

"Have you given any thought about casting?" #WonderMan pic.twitter.com/UCOUb04c0Y

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) October 10, 2025

The Wonder Man character has gone through all kinds of changes throughout his Marvel Comics history. He started as the nepo baby of an arms dealer, but has more recently been a super-powered actor and stuntman. He's an even lesser-known superhero than the leads for Marvel Cinematic Universe series like "Moon Knight" and "Ms. Marvel," though that also gives "Wonder Man" the opportunity to get creative and bold with its storytelling.

It appears that's exactly what the show is doing. In fact, "Wonder Man" appears to be Marvel's response to shows like "Peacemaker" and "The Boys," providing a meta-commentary on superhero media, although I doubt it's going to be quite as critical as either of those shows (given this is still the MCU). In the footage for "Wonder Man," however, we see the director of a new "Wonder Man" movie, Von Kovak (Zlatko Burić — yes, the evil Boravian President, Vasil Ghurkos, from James Gunn's "Superman"), talking about reboot the franchise and addressing the most common criticism of superhero stories directly: "Why one more superhero film?" It also shows Williams watching Kovak's interview as he's asked about casting, and we see that the original Wonder Man was white. If Marvel is going to have a show that addresses not only superhero fatigue but also potentially fan reactions to a Black actor playing a historically white role, it could be something meaningful.

There still aren't a ton of details about "Wonder Man," but it seems like it's going to go heavy on the meta-commentary on the moviemaking industry and Hollywood especially with regards to superhero media. That could provide the MCU with a chance to address some of its issues and have a little fun at its own expense, which rules. This could also help audiences feel less alienated by the giant corporate machine that is the MCU, reminding us there are human creatives behind the scenes with actual opinions to share. A little self-reflection can go a long way, and having a sense of humor about it definitely helps. That's evident in the clip, which not only includes Kovak talking about his love of the Wonder Man franchise with some amazing tokusatsu/vintage "Star Trek"-style footage of the "original" Wonder Man fighting some baddies, but also has a quick shot of a clapperboard on a film set with the title "Cash Grab 2." If that's a hint of this show's approach to satire, count me in. (Die-hard fans may remember that Nathan Fillion was originally going to play Wonder Man in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," but those sadly hit the cutting room floor.)

Abdul-Mateen II is a phenomenal actor who can absolutely nail the tone needed here, and it will finally give him a chance to do more in the superhero sphere since he didn't get quite enough to do as Black Manta in the DC Extended Universe. Ben Kingsley will also return as Trevor Slattery (aka the actor who pretended to be the Mandarin in "Iron Man 3"), which is a delicious choice. Honestly, "Wonder Man" looks like it could be a lot of fun, and that's coming from someone with serious superhero fatigue.

"Wonder Man" hits Disney+ in January 2026.