Wonder Man just made his surprise MCU long before his Disney+ series hits the super-powered streaming service. Aquaman star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is getting set to star in his own Marvel Studios streaming series coming in December. The series will follow Simon Williams, an actor who, after a mysterious accident, becomes impervious to just about anything.
Audiences have gotten teases of Matteen's Wonder Man character thanks to several short sneak peeks at the series sporting his superhero name. However, Wonder Man has not gotten any extended screentime within the MCU itself before his streaming show debut. That recently changed (at least kind of), as the Marvel Comics character appeared on the Fantastic Four: First Steps red carpet event in Los Angeles.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's Wonder Man made his MCU debut at the Fantastic Four premiere, as the actor appeared in character, giving several interviews as his Marvel Studios character.
Speaking with Marvel Studios, Matteen recounted a story as Wonder Man of seeing the original Wonder Man movie (a fictitious film released within the MCU continuity), telling reporters, "I grew up a really big fan of Wonder Man," and that he remembers "seeing the first movie in the theaters with his father:"
"I grew up a really big fan of Wonder Man. A really big fan of comics. It was actually the first movie that I saw in the theaters with my father when I was very young, and that day I left the theater wanting to be a superhero. So, this is amazing. It's actually a very beautiful full-scircle moment for me."
The Wonder Man actor is then asked about his character's potential relationship with "problematic figure, Trevor Slattery" (who Ben Kingsley will play in the upcoming Disney+ series), before he is pulled away by his handler.
This unique marketing stunt gives audiences another glimpse into the world and mind of Marvel Studios' take on the Wonder Man character, potentially revealing how the classic comic book hero will get his name in the MCU (stemming from an in-universe Wonder Man multimedia franchise).
See the full Wonder Man interview below:
Judging from these comments and some photos from the set of the Disney+ show, it seems as though Matteen's Simon Williams character will get his powers while working on a Wonder Man film remake or reboot, thus taking on the Wonder Man moniker.
Wonder Man is set to come to Disney+ this December. It tells the story of Simon Williams (played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), a fledgling actor who gains superpowers and becomes the costumed superhero Wonder Man. Mateen stars alongside Iron Man 3 actor Sir Ben Kingsley, who returns to the MCU as the charismatic Trevor Slattery.
Why Is Wonder Man Appearing in the Real World?
For longtime MCU fans, seeing Yahya Abdul-Mateen II appear as his Marvel character on the Fantastic Four red (or in this case blue) carpet will be a little confusing. Why would an MCU character show up in the real world?
It makes sense when looking at where the Wonder Man show sits in its pre-release journey. With no trailer for Wonder Man out quite yet, it is about time Marvel Studios starts the promotional train for this particular streaming project.
So, given the story Wonder Man will almost surely tell on Disney+, what better place to start the promotional tour than at a major Hollywood event like the Fantastic Four premiere.
This interview stunt does an incredible job of blending the MCU with the real world. It is particularly hilarious given the Wonder Man character's connection to Hollywood in the Marvel mythos.
It will be fascinating to see if this is a one-off or if Mateen (in character as Simon Williams) will begin appearing at other tentpole Hollywood events, giving interviews at awards shows, making TV appearances, or appearing in other movie premieres.
