If you thought that 2026 had already started as a year full of surprises worldwide, let me tell you that your world is about to get even stranger. Marvel, yes, Marvel has done something excellent, and it wouldn’t be reasonable to say that it’s the best thing they’ve delivered since Endgame, because that would already be talking about a different kind of project. Wonder Man, a series that is already available on Disney+ and introduces a new mutant into the MCU, is something much smaller and different from what we’ve seen before in this cinematic universe, to the point that, aside from a couple of connections to the franchise (which are very well justified), it could easily stand on its own. A story about the love for acting, the difficulties of Hollywood, and the friendship between two outsiders.
The series, made up of only 8 episodes of 35 minutes each, follows Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), an actor who has spent 10 years trying to establish himself in Hollywood. Despite being a great actor, he tends to overanalyze and overcomplicate things, which makes his work much harder. After this very trait costs him a job, he decides to go to the movies to watch a classic of American cinema. There, he overhears Trevor Slattery (previously the Mandarin we met in Iron Man 3, played by Ben Kingsley) talking about an audition he’s going to attend. When he asks him about it, Trevor tells him it’s for a remake of the 80s classic Wonder Man. That movie happens to be Simon’s favorite, to the point where he’s convinced he was born for that role. And so, he decides to go after the part.
What our protagonist doesn’t know is that Trevor is working undercover for the government and has the mission of capturing him. The reason? Simon Williams has powers and, therefore, is a danger to society.
Throughout the episodes, we see how both of them build a strong friendship while trying to land a role in this massive movie. All of this is told through hundreds of references to the world of Hollywood. Wonder Man is a complete feast for cinephiles. Out of nowhere, Christopher Nolan, David Cronenberg, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Leonardo DiCaprio exist within the MCU. So do movies and series like Severance, Twilight, Frozen, and, most importantly, Midnight Cowboy. In addition, the series offers a very accessible behind-the-scenes look at what the filmmaking process is like. It’s also worth mentioning episode 4, which perfectly explains what the world of cinema would be like if superheroes actually existed (don’t worry, this is not The Boys). And yes, this may seem like a simple bait to win over critics. However, the technique works perfectly within the show.
Wonder Man has a clear purpose. People have grown tired of the superficiality of superhero cinema, and the series itself acknowledges this. That’s why this Oscar-winning director (Zlatko Burić) arrives to remake the genre, but by searching for the human layers of the characters in that fictional world. The trick is that, instead of showing us the Wonder Man movie and what happens to its heroes and villains, we experience that examination through the characters of Simon and Trevor. The same betrayal that the characters will suffer in the film is lived by our protagonists. You could call it cinema within cinema (or rather, a series within a series).
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The second great strength of the show is its main character. Superhero cinema has historically suffered from the habit of turning its protagonists into overly “cool” figures, the typical Batman. If not that, then they are incredibly good, like Superman or Captain America, and if not that, they are the funny losers who start off bad but turn good, like Star-Lord. The problem is not that these characters exist, but that they are endlessly replicated. Simon Williams is different: he is the average working man trying to get ahead with his dreams, but whose personality and fears constantly get in his way. He has no friends, his girlfriend left him because he was egocentric, and his only ally is his mother. He is a man who simply doesn’t come off as likable, but he isn’t necessarily bad. It’s not that he has bad intentions, nor that he falls into the usual “I’m just different” trope. He is different, yes, but he doesn’t hide behind that. He’s simply an ordinary guy who doesn’t really know who he is. That’s what makes him feel so relatable. He is, perhaps, the closest thing Marvel has ever had to Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man.
A large part of this success is due to the performances. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II does a great job, but Ben Kingsley truly deserves a standing ovation. There is nothing smarter than making a series about the role of acting with a master like Kingsley, who delivers one of the most beautiful monologues about the craft of acting that this critic has ever heard (and yes, remember, this is a Marvel series). On top of that, he manages to give a strong new turn to a Marvel character who was ridiculed in Iron Man 3 and overlooked in Shang-Chi. Without a doubt, we can expect more from him in future projects. Lastly, in other aspects of the series, there is a pleasant representation of the Haitian community and a great look at what it’s like to live in Los Angeles, all details that enhance the product as the episodes go by.
Toward the end of the series, the truth behind Simon and Trevor’s relationship is revealed. If the world were to find out about the protagonist’s powers, beyond going to prison, it would mean he could never act again due to government law. This would destroy his dreams, but when everything seems set for that to happen, the fake terrorist steps in once more and saves Simon, allowing him to fulfill his dream of becoming a movie star. However, months later, Simon finally understands who he truly is. More than an actor, he is a son, a brother, and a friend. He throws everything away and rescues Trevor from a maximum-security prison, thus closing out an excellent buddy series.
Wonder Man is crowned as the first great gem of the television world in 2026. Did you notice that its powers were barely mentioned? Exactly—this atomic energy he can control, which will surely be key in future movies and series, is not more important than the layers behind the human being. We don’t know if Marvel will change, but at the very least, this time, it has succeeded.
Our rating for the series Wonder Man
4.5/5 = Excellent
Cast and Crew
- Wonder Man (2026)
- Creator: Destin Daniel Cretton, Tiffany Johnson, Stella Meghie, James Ponsoldt
- Screenplay: Destin Daniel Cretton, Andrew Guest, Don Heck, Jack Kirby, Clay Lapari, Roja Gashtili, Julia Lerman, Kira Talise, Anayat Fakhraie, Zeke Nicholson, Madeline Walter, Paul Welsh
- Cast: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Ben Kingsley, Arian Moayed, X Mayo, Zlatko Burić, Dan Donohue, Kameron J. Meadows, Shola Adewusi, Bechir Sylvain, Joe Pantoliano, Demetrius Grosse
- Cinematography: Brett Pawlak, Armando Salas
- Music: Joel P. West
- Runtime: 8 episodes, approximately 35 minutes each
Wonder Man is available on Disney+
