Marvel's Wonder Man Preview Reveals Marvel's Most Meta TV Show Ever
Marvel is aware that audiences could be experiencing some superhero fatigue, so they've opted to incorporate that very concept into their next superhero show.
Indeed, the debut trailer for Wonder Man has arrived, and it promises a self-referential angle on the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The preview, which premiered on October 10th, also quietly moved the Wonder Man release date back from its initial end of 2025 window into January 2026.
Why another superhero movie? People is weary of superheroes. Why watch them in the theater? Wonder Man spoke to me on a profound level. There is an opportunity to surprise audiences. To reimagine the whole category of storytelling.
The interviewer replies: "Have you considered about the cast?"
The trailer then transitions to series star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who's viewing the conversation on his mobile device, and the preview ends.
Key Details About Wonder Man
We already knew that Wonder Man would be a self-referential interpretation on the MCU. The series features Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams, a Hollywood actor who transforms into a superhero (the hero Wonder Man).
The rest of the cast includes Ben Kingsley reprising his role as Iron Man 3's Trevor Slattery, Demetrius Grosse as Eric Williams (aka Grim Reaper), Ed Harris as Simon's manager Neal Saroyan, and Arian Moayed coming back as Department of Damage Control officer P. Cleary.
The Studio's Meta-Humor Strategy
We don't know much else about the storyline of Wonder Man, but it's clear that the studio intends to poke some fun at itself.
In the wake of Deadpool & Wolverine, it seems like the studio is fully committed on self-referential comedy. Will that work without the celebrity appeal of its previous leads? We'll have to wait and see.
