December is only three months away (yep, there's a slice of festive fear with your Sunday), and with it comes the long-awaited arrival of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams, aka Wonder Man. So far, we've only had a glimpse of the super-powered star in a teaser trailer and an appearance at the premiere of The Fantastic Four: First Steps with Abdul-Mateen in full character, so we're still unsure just what to expect in the upcoming show that will be heading to Disney+. Thankfully, Arian Moayed, who will be reprising his role as Damage Control agent P. Clearly, has given us a minute morsel of what's on the cards, teasing that Mr. Williams is all about his talents as a thespian first and his skills as a superhero last.
In an interview with Variety, Moayed kept details limited but assured that "This show is a love letter to acting and the craft and the hard work of being an artist. It taps into something very, very unique and special and working with-...I can't even say who I worked with."
Considering what we've seen and heard so far, Wonder Man is another bold move from Marvel Studios to shake things up, but the concern is whether it will be well-received. The last time the MCU took a risk on television was with She-Hulk, who broke fourth walls as well as real ones, and was review-bombed for her trouble. Remember, folks, a superhero twerking alongside Megan Thee Stallion isn't comic-accurate.
All eyes will be on this show, especially considering the creative talent both in front of and behind the camera. Destin Daniel Cretton, director of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, co-created the show with Andrew Guest, who is also serving as showrunner. Guest, known for writing on Community, 30 Rock, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, will oversee Abdul-Mateen and a cast that includes Demetrius Grosse and Ed Harris, with Ben Kingsley returning as esteemed master of the arts and former stand-in for The Mandarin, Trevor Slattery. We'll see how Simon Williams handles himself, but while we wait, check out every other upcoming MCU movie and show heading our way here.
