One key character in Wonder Man was originally written to die, according to a star (inside and out) of the Marvel Disney+ series. The show dropped all eight episodes at once in early 2026 and quickly became a fan favorite, leading Marvel Studios to officially greenlight a second season. The series marked the live-action debut of Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) and brought back Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery, who got one of the best long-term MCU character payoffs in history.
One of the biggest surprises in Wonder Man came in Episode 4 when Josh Gad (who appeared in the series as himself) filmed an action sequence alongside the superpowered Doorman (Byron Bowers).
During the in-universe production of Cash Grab 2, Gad was going to use Doorman's portal abilities for a stunt, only for a malfunction to leave him trapped through the hero's body in the Darkforce Dimension.
The accident ultimately led to the creation of the "Doorman Clause," a new industry rule preventing superpowered individuals, like Simon Williams, from working as actors. However, according to Gad, Marvel Studios originally had something far more gruesome planned for his character.
Speaking with Gold Derby, Gad revealed that his character was initially going to be "fully severed," confirming that the MCU version of himself was going to be die:
"My character originally got fully severed. His body completely came apart, and I died! Part of the reason why I signed onto do this was this hilariously gruesome death scene."
While the creative team ultimately decided against the final fate, Gad explained that they even explored other unused ideas like the actor's new life inside of Doorman:
"I recorded a bunch of dialogue where it was just me inside of Doorman just kind of living my life. At one point, that was going to play over the end credits. I like that they kept their options open — horrific death or Josh Gad living like Jonah in the whale, just living life inside of somebody's gut."
Fortunately for Wonder Man fans hoping to see the story continue, it sounds like showrunner Andrew Guest isn't finished with the character just yet.
Gad confirmed that he has heard plans are in place to revisit his storyline in Wonder Man Season 2, teasing that answers about his fate may eventually arrive:
"I'm very interested to see where that narrative will take us."
Given the media response to Gad's disappearance in the MCU, a resurgence is sure to turn some heads during Season 2.
So, beyond Gad's character, there's not much yet known about the narrative direction of the next season. The one key thing fans can expect is that Season 2 will continue to focus on the relationship between Simon and Trevor rather than dramatically reinvent the series.
Guest teased that Trevor's friendship will become even more important to Simon after finally finding a genuine friend, while the new season will also address the pair's legal troubles following the events of Season 1.
At the same time, Marvel Studios appears committed to preserving the show's unique Hollywood satire and comedic tone, with creator Destin Daniel Cretton confirming the team is "not planning to suddenly turn this into a completely different show."
How Josh Gad Could Return in Season 2
As ridiculous as Josh Gad's predicament may be, Season 2 has a logical path to bringing him back. The key lies in the origin of Doorman's powers, which stem from exposure to Roxxon's experimental goo.
One possibility is that Roxxon becomes more directly involved in Season 2, with the corporation attempting to further weaponize or study the Darkforce energy responsible for DeMarr Davis' abilities.
Some type of experiment could accidentally reopen a portal and reveal that Gad somehow survived his time in the dimension. Another route could see DeMarr seeking redemption after the accident by learning to control his powers and possibly freeing Gad on his own.
The biggest impact of his return could be that it would immediately call into question the necessity of the Doorman Clause, potentially reversing it and making it OK for actors like Simon to use their powers back on set.
Given Wonder Man's love of blending superhero mythology with modern industry satire, however they decide to reintroduce Gad will surely be both funny and impactful.
