By Luke Del Rosario

After years of increasingly loud spectacle, Marvel’s most refreshing project is the one that barely feels like a superhero story at all.  

“Wonder Man” (2026) is the studio’s newest Disney+ limited series from co-creators Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest. It centers on struggling actor Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) as he pursues the titular role of the reboot of a campy film he loved as a child, while hiding destructive emotion-triggered superpowers that make a normal career impossible. Alongside him in this pursuit is fellow actor Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), who is best known by the public of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) for his role as the Mandarin.  

The unlikely friendship formed between Simon and Trevor is the beating heart of the show. They‘re both so likeable and I couldn’t help but root for them. They’re such different people, but that’s what makes their dynamic so fun to watch. Their chemistry feels so real and natural, which can be attributed to Mateen II and Kingsley’s chemistry. 

Mateen II portrays a relatable everyman with down-to-earth relatable struggles. In the opening scene, he sabotages his own career due to his unbridledpassion for the art of acting. His problem is that he’s in an industry that doesn’t care about the art — only the money. A challenge feels so relatable for artists trying to make money off their passion.   

Williams’s struggle with mental health and his tendency to overthink feels real and raw and it’s that conflict that makes his character so interesting. His character arc is incredible, but it’s only possible because of his partner-in-crime, Slattery. 

“Iron Man 3” is the gift that keeps on giving. Back when the film released in 2013, it received so much backlash for the Mandarin fake out they pulled, revealing that he was just an actor the whole time. But with “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” and now “Wonder Man,” Destin Daniel Cretton has done so much work to flesh out that actor and make him a compelling worthwhile character in his own right.  

Trevor goes from being just a joke to a mentor figure. It’s the reclamation of “Iron Man 3.” That film has been made retroactively better now with the knowledge of the stories Trevor goes on to be a part of. That once controversial decision no longer feels like a mistake, but instead a genius departure from the comics that led to an original opportunity for character exploration. 

The series also explores Hollywood, the comic book genre and the many problems that have been plaguing it for so long.  It’s partly that self-awareness that makes the series work so well.  

This show more in the vein of “La La Land” or “The Studio” than that of anything Marvel Studios has released. For once, the superpowers and fantastical elements all take a backseat to the bromance and the love letter to and meta-commentary on the art of acting. At times, I completely forgot that this is a Marvel series.  

Rather than building toward city-leveling action, the series focuses on insecurity, ambition and friendship. 

This series really is an anomaly and its singular nature in the Marvel catalog makes it somewhat strange to recommend. If you’re a Marvel fan because of the blockbuster thrills and adrenaline pumping action that is the staple of their releases, then you might not enjoy this one as much. But if you normally avoid Marvel because you find it to be one-note senseless spectacle (a sentiment that I disagree with, but I digress,) then I implore you to give this a shot. It may change your mind about the studio. 

I love that Marvel is broadening their horizons, that they are greenlighting projects like “Wonder Man.” During the first decade of the MCU, dubbed the Infinity Saga, the slate felt focused. Everything the studio released felt like it was headed towards “Avengers: Infinity War.” 

Since then, the major complaint has been that the universe has lacked an overarching storyline. It doesn’t feel as connected or cohesive. All the projects feel random.  

“Wonder Man” is making me think that maybe that isn’t such a bad thing. Marvel is starting to make stories that don’t require two decades of cinematic homework to enjoy and, at the same time, catering to different audiences. If their newest offering is something you vibe with, then great. If it’s not your cup of tea, then not a problem; there will be something else. 

 The MCU is now segmented into different flavors of superheroing and that’s wonderful. Marvel Studios is showing that superheroes aren’t a genre; they’re a medium.