Summary
- One particular Marvel superhero is the only original live-action hero to star in the MCU's upcoming releases.
- The MCU show will be part of Phase 5 or 6, with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II playing the starring role.
- The character's obscurity compared to other heroes makes the show refreshing, despite past almost-debuts.
All the superheroes featured in the MCU's upcoming release slate warrant excitement, but only one has never appeared in live-action before:
Wonder Man. Marvel recently confirmed at their Upfronts presentation that 2025 will play host to Daredevil: Born Again and Ironheart as two of the possible three MCU TV shows set to release on Disney+ next year. Along with Agatha in Agatha All Along, all of these shows will star protagonists who have already appeared in the MCU, albeit in supporting roles.
Even the MCU's upcoming movie slate will star characters that have already appeared in live-action. The Fantastic Four, for instance, have made big screen appearances three times over the last two decades, while the titular team in Thunderbolts* is entirely composed of characters who have appeared opposite other MCU stars. With that in mind, it might feel easy to accuse the MCU of lacking originality - but there is at least one confirmed TV show star that will buck the trend and make his live-action debut.
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Related All 11 Upcoming MCU TV Shows Ranked In Order Of Our Excitement The Marvel Cinematic Universe has 11 upcoming TV shows confirmed, some of which rank among the most anticipated franchise projects since Endgame.
Wonder Man Is The MCU's Only True Original Live-Action Star Hero The Wonder Man TV Series Will Be Part Of Phase 5 Or 6 Close The MCU's
Wonder Man show is confirmed to be in development and will finally feature a brand-new hero in live-action. Wonder Man details so far include the fact that Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who recently starred as Black Manta in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, will be starring in the eponymous role as Simon Williams; he'll be joined by Ben Kingsley's Trevor Slattery. A release date is yet to be set, though filming has been underway since 2023, and resumed in January 2024 after the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes last summer put a pause on the show.
His relative obscurity compared to characters like The Fantastic Four makes Wonder Man's upcoming show feel even fresher.
The fact that
Wonder Man is the only confirmed MCU production to feature a character that has never before been adapted to live-action is exciting enough, but Wonder Man is also a hugely underappreciated character in Marvel Comics. His relative obscurity compared to characters like The Fantastic Four makes Wonder Man's upcoming show feel even fresher. The truth, however, is that this isn't the first time that Marvel has considered bringing Wonder Man to life in live-action - nor is it the first time that he has appeared in a Marvel production outside live-action.
Wonder Man's Weird Screen History Explained
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Custom image by Ollie Bradley
Wonder Man nearly made his MCU debut in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in a cameo role before it was ultimately cut. Wonder Man is perhaps most well-known in Marvel Comics for his acting career, perhaps even more so than the fact that his super-strength is on a par with Thor's. It is no surprise, then, that director James Gunn's intentions for Wonder Man included featuring him on a poster for the "Simon Williams Film Festival." It is also no surprise that this role was given to prolific Gunn collaborator, Nathan Fillion, at the time.
Nathan Fillion would instead appear in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 as Master Karja in the scenes within Orgocorp.
Although the Wonder Man Easter egg did not come to fruition, Fillion would at least "reprise" his role as Simon Williams in the animated series, MODOK, instead. While MODOK was nearly part of a shared Marvel universe on Hulu, it is distinctly separate from the MCU, meaning Abdul-Mateen's take on the character will be the definitive one when he finally debuts. Whether
Wonder Man leans into the comedic elements of the character like MODOK is to be confirmed, but what is certain is that it will be fresh simply by starring the character in the first place.
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Wonder Man Released on Disney+ as a limited series, Marvel Studios' Wonder Man introduces the titular Avengers hero in the MCU. Starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as the actor-turned-superhero Simon Williams, Wonder Man also features Ben Kingsley, who reprises his Iron Man 3 and Shang-Chi role as the eccentric thespian Trevor Slattery.
Cast Yahya Abdul-Mateen II , Ben Kingsley , Demetrius Grosse , Ed Harris Upcoming Marvel Movies
Release Date
Deadpool & Wolverine
July 26, 2024
Captain America: Brave New World
February 14, 2025
Thunderbolts*
May 2, 2025
Fantastic Four
July 25, 2025
Blade
November 7, 2025
Avengers: The Kang Dynasty
May 1, 2026
Avengers: Secret Wars
May 7, 2027
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