Marvel's Wonder Man Preview Reveals The MCU's Most Self-Referential Series Ever

The Marvel studio is aware that viewers could be feeling some superhero exhaustion, so they've opted to incorporate this exact idea into their upcoming superhero series.

Indeed, the first preview for Wonder Man has arrived, and it promises a self-referential angle on the MCU.

The trailer, which debuted on Oct. 10, also quietly pushed the Wonder Man release date later from its initial end of 2025 slot into January 2026.

Why one more superhero film? Everyone is weary of superhero content. Why watch them in the cinema? Wonder Man resonated with me on a profound level. There is an opportunity to shock audiences. To reinvent the whole category of storytelling.

The interviewer replies: "Have you given any thought about the cast?"

The trailer then transitions to lead actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who's watching the conversation on his phone, and the trailer ends.

Image: Marvel Comics Group

What We Know Regarding Wonder Man

We already knew that Wonder Man would be a meta take on the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The series stars Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams, a Hollywood actor who transforms into a super-powered being (Wonder Man).

The rest of the cast features actor Ben Kingsley reprising his role as Iron Man 3's Trevor Slattery, Demetrius Grosse as Eric Williams (aka Grim Reaper), Ed Harris as Simon's agent Neal Saroyan, and Arian Moayed coming back as DODC officer P. Cleary.

The Studio's Self-Referential Comedy Approach

We don't know much else about the plot of Wonder Man, but it's clear that Marvel intends to poke some fun at itself.

In the aftermath of Deadpool & Wolverine, it seems like the production company is all in on meta-humor. Will this approach succeed without the celebrity appeal of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman? We'll have to wait and see.

Jacob Johnston
Jacob Johnston

A tech enthusiast and writer passionate about emerging technologies and their impact on society, with a background in software development.