When Disney+ dumped all eight episodes of Marvel Studios’ Wonder Man at the end of January, many people prejudged the series. Being “dumped” like that meant it had to be a stinker, right? Well, the series wound up getting great reviews from both critics and fans, especially for its two lead stars, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Sir Ben Kingsley. An exploration of trying to make it as Hollywood actors, coupled with a buddy comedy, Wonder Man won over people who rarely pay attention to Marvel projects. But will the upcoming second season keep that quirky tone? According to a report in The Hollywood Reporter, fans need not worry. Here’s what Wonder Man showrunner Andrew Guest had to say:
The people who like this show and like it because it feels different are going to be rewarded. And the people who think that this show is going to suddenly turn into something else, I’m sorry to say, it’s not.
So, don’t expect Simon Williams to suddenly join the Avengers or even the X-Men. (We do think he might be a mutant in the MCU, however.) And don’t expect Simon to toss cars in the street against some super villain. This will likely remain a series about newly minted superstar Simon Williams and his unlikely friendship with actor Trevor Slattery. When the first season ended, an undercover Simon busted Trevor out of prison after he took the fall for him. So where season two goes is anyone’s guess.
After playing two different DC characters, Black Manta in Aquaman, and Doctor Manhattan in Watchmen, Yahya was eager to play a Marvel character. However, he knew it had to be the right character. Because in a shared universe, you (usually) only get to play one character. Here’s what Yahya Abdul-Mateen II said while speaking to Kevin Feige:
I only get one Marvel buck to spend. Is this worth my dollar, because I can wait. And I’m so glad this is the role I got to spend my dollar on because I’m getting all of the super stuff and I’m getting all of the human stuff at the same time.
Even though it won’t be a typical Marvel show when it returns, we do hope for a little bit of classic superhero storytelling. After all, who doesn’t want a bit more of Yahya in the Wonder Man suit, flexing his powers? For those of you who missed the first season of Wonder Man, it’s currently streaming on Disney+.