Summary
Wonder Man,Marvel Studios’ upcoming live-action TV series led by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, is still a long way from its release date. However, fans can now say for certain how many episodes it has, thanks to Brad Winderbaum, Marvel’s Head of Streaming, Animation, and Television–and it contradicts earlier reports.
Bar brief footage showingYahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams(the titular character’s alter ego) and fellow failed actorTrevor Slattery (played by Ben Kingsley), plot details aroundWonder Manhave largely been kept under lock and key. Previously,Deadlinereported that the series, set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase Six, would have ten episodes. If true, it would have been the longest count for an MCU TV show post-Endgame. But Winderbaum appears to have cleared the air with his recent revelation.
Appearing on an episode Bradon Davis’ PhaseHero podcast, Winderbaum disclosed thatWonder Manhas eight episodes. The episode count wasn’t the only interesting thing let slip. Without giving away too much, Winderbaum also teased exciting details about the show’s tone and direction, hinting at significant nods to the source material. “If you’re a fan of the West Coast Avengers and know a bit about Simon Williams, if you’re anything like me, then you’d be very excited about how much homage to source material there is actually in the show,” he shared.
It’s really a love letter to Hollywood.
The brainchild ofShang Chidirector Destin Daniel Cretton, and3D-Rock’s Andrew Guest,Wonder Manis shaping up to be the square peg in the round hole of the MCU lineup in a lot of ways. Even Kevin Feige called it “extremely different” from different projects. Not only does it break away from previous episodes-count expectations—bothLokiandTheFalcon and the Winter Soldierhad six episodes in their first season, whileWandaVision,Agatha All Along,She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, andWhat If..?had nine—from the little details flying around, it is poised to be the MCU’s first true comedy series. The latter shouldn’t come as a surprise given the character’s background as both an actor and a stuntman, coupled with a self-aware nature comparable to Deadpool. For Yahya Abdul-Mateen II,Wonder Manmarks his third major venture into the comic book realm and the first time playing his trade with Marvel after playing Dr. Manhattan in HBO’sWatchmenTVshow and Black Manta in bothAquamanmovies. And while actors bridging the Marvel-DC divide isn’t new, few have taken center stage in such a manner.
Wonder Man’s teased quality is a welcome status for a superhero with no prior on-screen appearance despite being among the most powerful Marvel characters. Having been introduced in 1964 inAvengers #9—and later emerging as one of West Coast Avengers' founding fathers in 1984—he was denied his big-screen debut inGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2at the eleventh hour after directorJames Gunn cut out then-actor Nathan Fillion’s scene that involved a simple cameo in movie poster. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s version, in Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest’s hands, could be the small screen’sperfect analog to theDeadpoolmoviesas far as fourth-wall-breaking movies go.
