Films for Breakfast

The MCU finds itself in an interesting position right now. After adapting many of its biggest, most recognizable characters, it’s increasingly reliant on lesser-known heroes to tell new stories. At the same time, the franchise is very clearly on a redemption tour, where introducing new characters feels harder to justify than it once did – especially compared to the excitement surrounding projects like Guardians of the Galaxy or Doctor Strange were when they were first announced. With Wonder Man, Marvel seems to be taking an even bigger swing in the opposite direction, making a conscious effort to feel as unique and personal as possible.

If you don’t recognize Wonder Man, you’re certainly not alone. I consider myself a Marvel nerd, and even I realized how little I actually knew about the character’s backstory going into the series. The show follows Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), an aspiring actor who believes he’s finally found his big break after being cast as Wonder Man in a reboot of a movie he loved as a child. Along the way, Simon befriends Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), a familiar face from Iron Man 3 and Shang-Chi, who serves as the show’s primary connective tissue to the larger MCU. As the story unfolds, it quickly becomes clear that Simon may be hiding abilities of his own in order to pursue his Hollywood dreams.

One of my personal pet peeves, especially with franchise filmmaking, is when a project is marketed almost entirely on how “radically different” it is from what came before. I always appreciate genuine experimentation, but more often than not, these entries still feel tonally and narratively familiar. Wonder Man isn’t a massive departure from the MCU formula, and I won’t pretend that it is. However, what it does do is lean heavily into character-driven storytelling, approaching its protagonist with an unusual amount of sincerity and affection. That focus ultimately makes the series feel refreshing and surprisingly endearing.

Much of the show’s success comes down to how likable and emotionally grounded Simon Williams is as a character. His passion for acting, and the lengths the series goes to communicate that love, are genuinely entertaining and sweet. There’s a quiet moment where Simon and Trevor watch Midnight Cowboy in a local theater after Simon has had a particularly rough day, and I found it unexpectedly moving. His escape from the world, like many people who will watch the series, will always be cinema. It’s a nice gesture that both helps the audience relate to Simon, but also understand that his drive for the arts is real. It’s the kind of scene you rarely see in an MCU project, yet it works beautifully here.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II continues to prove why he’s one of the most compelling performers working today. He balances Simon’s ambition and drive with vulnerability and self-doubt in a way that feels deeply human. I was initially hesitant about the inclusion of Ben Kingsley’s Trevor Slattery, but those concerns quickly faded. Abdul-Mateen and Kingsley share an unlikely but wonderful chemistry, and by the end of the series, their relationship becomes the emotional backbone of the entire show.

Naturally, being an MCU project means some degree of world-building. Outside of Slattery’s presence, this mainly comes in the form of the Department of Damage Control (previously seen in No Way Home and Ms. Marvel) keeping a close eye on Simon and his abilities. I worried this element might feel tacked on, but it integrates smoothly into the narrative and becomes an engaging extension of the character dynamics rather than a distraction.

My main criticism of Wonder Man is its length. I don’t inherently mind shorter series, and I vastly prefer them to shows that overstay their welcome. Here, though, it genuinely feels like the story still has more to give by the time it ends. While many MCU shows feel stretched thin across six hour-long episodes, Wonder Man left me wanting more time with Simon – both in following the journey through pursuing his career and in exploring the full scope of his powers. It’s a testament to how invested I became in the character, but it also leaves the series feeling slightly restrained in its final moments.

Is Wonder Man a radical reinvention of the MCU? No – and that’s not a bad thing. Instead, it’s a refreshingly character-focused story about pursuing your dreams, forming meaningful and genuine friendships, and embracing who you truly are. The only real difference between this and a more traditional drama is that Simon Williams happens to have superpowers. Quietly and unexpectedly, Wonder Man has become one of my favorite shows Marvel has produced.