Wonder Man isn’t returning for Season 2, but one fan-favorite character from the show is far from done and will appear in an upcoming MCU project. Wonder Man followed Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's Simon Williams as he chased his dream Hollywood role in the in-universe film Wonder Man, meeting Ben Kingsley's Trevor Slattery along the way. Although Season 1 was well received, Marvel canceled the show in July after initially greenlighting its return, a decision Abdul-Mateen II attributed to low viewership despite his Emmy nomination for the role.
Arian Moayed, who reprised his role as Department of Damage Control agent P. Cleary, confirmed his own return in an Instagram post addressing the cancellation. The actor had kind words for his co-stars and the show's crew, and at the tail end of his write-up assured fans that his character was not done yet, noting, "And trust me, Agent Cleary is coming back!" His message lines up with reports surrounding the cancellation that characters from the series could show up in future MCU projects.
Cleary has quickly become one of the MCU's most notorious non-powered antagonists since debuting in Spider-Man: No Way Home. In that film, he was a thorn in Peter's side, relentlessly interrogating him, Aunt May, MJ, and Ned Leeds following the events of Far From Home, where Mysterio exposed Peter as Spider-Man. Cleary's investigation paved the way for Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock to make his first MCU film appearance, offering Peter legal counsel. Cleary went on to become an even bigger thorn, returning in the Disney+ series Ms. Marvel, where he once again went into investigative mode, this time going after Imani Vellani's Kamala Khan.
Wonder Man then gave him a more layered villain role when it premiered all its episodes on January 27. In the show, he moved to Los Angeles, where he investigated Simon, whom he believed was secretly a super-powered being. His investigation led him to arrest Slattery at an airport and cut a deal with the man who once posed as the Mandarin: spy on Simon for the DODC, or be sent back to prison to finish his sentence.
Slattery initially agreed but later refused to turn Simon in, making Cleary look bad in front of his higher-ups. Slattery was then thrown into a supermax facility for his stunt, where Simon broke him out in the show's finale. This development will likely land Cleary in even bigger trouble. Season 2 would have expanded on the DODC agent's fate, but with the show's cancellation, that story is now set to be explored elsewhere. Moayed didn't specify where he'll appear next, but there are several upcoming projects where his character would fit perfectly.
Where Agent Cleary Could Appear Next in the MCU
X-Men Reboot
The Department of Damage Control is playing a major role in the MCU's mutant stories, as shown in Ms. Marvel and, most recently, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which introduced Tramell Tillman's Bill Metzger, the head of the agency. After the fallout of Brand New Day, Metzger is reportedly set to return in Jake Schreier's X-Men reboot, with Tillman said to have signed a multi-picture deal. With Damage Control positioned as an antagonist in that movie, it's hard to imagine Cleary not making at least a cameo, since he's become a key face within the agency.
Ms. Marvel Sequel
Season 2 of Ms. Marvel seems unlikely given that Marvel is scaling back its Disney+ output. However, a sequel of some kind, perhaps a film, would surely feature Cleary, since he served as the show's main antagonist. There have also been reports of a Young Avengers project in the works, which would function as a de facto sequel given that Kamala is a key member of that team. Where Kamala goes, Cleary is likely to follow.
Daredevil: Born Again Season 3
Born Again Season 3 wrapped filming in July and premieres in March 2027. The series is bringing back the Defenders, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage alongside Daredevil. Vigilantes will be even more prominent in New York, which could prompt intervention from the DODC, with Cleary sent in to investigate. Cleary also has history with Matt Murdock, who dismantled his case against Spider-Man in No Way Home, and the pair could clash again.
Doctor Strange 3
The Department of Damage Control is responsible for dealing with the fallout from superpowered events. Strange's botched spell in No Way Home and the aftereffects of his escapades in Multiverse of Madness could be explored in Doctor Strange 3. The Sorcerer Supreme's actions have had grave effects on the world and the multiverse at large, which could prompt an investigation into him. If the threequel takes this direction, Cleary could well make an appearance.
Geraldo Amartey is a writer at The Direct. He joined the team in 2025, bringing with him four years of experience covering entertainment news, pop culture, and fan-favorite franchises for sites like YEN, Briefly and Tuko.
