Posted in: Disney+, Marvel, Preview, streaming, TV | Tagged: , , , ,


Wonder Man: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Set to Lead Marvel, Disney+ Series

It's hard to believe that it's been nearly two months since we last check in to see how things were progressing with filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) & writer-producer Andrew Guest's (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Community) live-action take on the longtime Marvel character Wonder Man. But it sounds like the wait was worth it, with news that Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (HBO's Watchmen, "Aquaman" franchise) will be taking some time off from the DCU to take on the lead role of Simon Williams. Back in August, it was reported that Sir Ben Kingsley was expected to return to the role of Trevor Slattery. Exactly how Slattery will factor into the series is still a mystery, but Kingsley has done an excellent job of telling us Slattery's story up to this point. Beginning with Iron Man 3, Kingsley's Slattery moved on to the short film All Hail the King and was most recently seen in the Simu Liu-starring Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

wonder man
Image: HBO/Marvel Comics

Created by writer Stan Lee and artists Don Heck & Jack Kirby, Wonder Man, aka Simon Williams first appeared in The Avengers #9, in October 1964. Originally a supervillain who targeted The Avengers, Wonder Man would end up not just becoming a hero but joining the team he had previously fought. Over the decades, Wonder Man would become a fan-favorite Avengers, in large part for two reasons (though there are many). First, he served as a founding member of the West Coast Avengers, appearing in the four-issue miniseries in 1984 and then as a continuing character over the course of the comic's 102-issue run. But the other reason might also turn into something fans will want to see in the live-action series. To say that readers took to the dynamic between Wonder Man and his fellow Avenger, the Beast, aka Dr. Henry "Hank" McCoy, would be a serious understatement. Whether tag-teaming the local nightlife or being each other's best bros, it was a combination that worked (and a combination we're sure viewers will want to see on the screen).


Enjoyed this? Please share on social media!

Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!

Ray FlookAbout Ray Flook

Serving as Television Editor since 2018, Ray began five years earlier as a contributing writer/photographer before being brought onto the core BC team in 2017.
twitterinstagram
Comments will load 20 seconds after page. Click here to load them now.