“Wonder Man” has officially made his debut at Marvel—not as the superhero himself but as the character we all know. The premiere full trailer for the Disney+ series showcases Emmy award winner Yahya Abdul-Mateen II portraying Simon Williams, an aspiring actor eager to secure a part in the role of his childhood hero, Wonder Man. Additionally, Marvel has revealed that the release date for “Wonder Man,” previously expected in December, is now set for January 27 on Disney+.
The trailer reveals Simon’s astonishment when acclaimed director Von Kovak (played by Zlatko Burić of “Superman” fame) declares his plans to remake the beloved “Wonder Man” film that captured Simon’s heart as a child. In his pursuit of the coveted role, Simon forms a friendship with fellow actor Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), notorious for embodying the “role” of the international terrorist the Mandarin in the 2013 film “Iron Man 3.” Kingsley reprised his role in 2021’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” which was led by Destin Daniel Cretton, who is also a co-creator and executive producer of this series and directed its inaugural episode.
Cretton, who is currently working on “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” co-developed the show alongside Andrew Guest, known for his work on “Hawkeye,” “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” and “Community,” who also takes on the role of showrunner. The cast of “Wonder Man” includes X Mayo, Demetrius Grosse, Arian Moayed, and Olivia Thirlby.
First introduced in Marvel Comics by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Don Heck in 1964, Wonder Man is the alter ego of Simon Williams, born to wealthy industrialist Sanford Williams. When Williams Innovations suffers significant financial setbacks from competition with Stark Industries, Simon accepts Baron Zemo’s offer, which grants him ionic superpowers. After spending more than a decade as an antagonist to the Avengers, Simon redeems himself and becomes a loyal member of the superhero team. In later chapters of his story, Simon pursues an acting career and relocates to Los Angeles, where he initially works as a stuntman before landing minor roles in big films.
Don’t forget to check out the trailer below.
