Disney+'s Wonder Man laid the groundwork for Spider-Man: Brand New Day's villain while also teeing up the X-Men. Marvel Studios' 2026 slate just kicked into gear with Wonder Man's binge release, kickstarting the road to December's Avengers: Doomsday. There will be some pit stops along that road, such as Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, Vision Quest, and, of course, July's Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Even though production has already been completed, Spider-Man 4 is as shrouded in mystery as ever, as, while audiences have heard about seven of Brand New Day's villains, it remains unclear who the main foe is; something that was similarly felt ahead of Wonder Man.
Wonder Man stands out in the MCU as it isn't really a superhero story with a big CGI battle or grander villain to fight. The closest Wonder Man has to a main villain is Arian Moayed's Agent P. Cleary and the Department of Damage Control (DODC), who are pursuing Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's Simon Williams.
Cleary links the Disney+ comedy to the Spider-Man franchise's past, given his role in pursuing Tom Holland's Peter Parker in No Way Home. While Cleary isn't confirmed to appear in Brand New Day just yet, set photos confirmed the DODC's role in Spider-Man 4 as the wall-crawler handles a prison break at their facility.
The DODC will have a new face in Brand New Day, with a new boss brought to life by Serverance actor Tramell Tillman. One report stated that the DODC will one day evolve into the Anti-Mutant Enforcement Agency that antagonizes the X-Men, but, for now, it is already in hot pursuit of one superhuman, played by Sadie Sink.
As such, beyond laying the path for Damage Control's major role in Spider-Man 4, Wonder Man has begun to set up the MCU's X-Men reboot, as figures such as Cleary and Tillman's character could have recurring roles in the franchise.
Wonder Man Teases Spider-Man 4, X-Men, & Sadie Sink
In Wonder Man's finale, Agent Cleary declares that Simon Williams is "an extraordinary threat... or asset" to the Department of Damage Control. If that sentiment is felt toward all super-powered people at the DODC, Sadie Sink's mystery MCU character may be viewed similarly by the federal government.
Even now, it's still unclear exactly who the Stranger Things veteran is playing in the MCU, but many are convinced she will portray the rumored mind-control-powered foe. It has even been speculated that she could be the mutant icon Jean Grey, which could carry some weight if the DODC storyline is building to the X-Men.
Wonder Man may be a Spotlight project with limited connections to other MCU projects, but it has been unexpectedly telling for the franchise's future. More so than most previous movies and Disney+ series, it paints the picture of growing anti-superhuman sentiment in this world that will be felt across numerous projects.
