‘Wonder Man’ Review: Ben Kingsley and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Bromance Powers Disney+’s Endearingly Low-Key Marvel Series
Simon Williams, the lead of Disney+’s Wonder Man, is no superhero. He's not a future Avenger yet to come into his potential, nor a villain, but he's an aspiring actor played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, a former DC supervillain. This makes him the rarest of Marvel protagonists: a regular person with unexplained hidden powers.
The Bottom Line: More human than superhuman.
Airdate: Tuesday, Jan. 27 (Disney+)
Cast: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Ben Kingsley, Arian Moayed, X Mayo, Zlatko Buric
Creators: Destin Daniel Cretton, Andrew Guest
Wonder Man is a standalone series, the second title under the “Marvel Spotlight” banner, following 2024’s Echo. Simon is on the hunt for his big break, and stumbles into an opportunity when he meets Ben Kingsley’s Trevor Slattery, who posed as the terrorist Mandarin in Iron Man 3. Trevor and Simon couldn’t be more different, but they become fast friends, drawn together by their passion for their craft.
Abdul-Mateen and Kingsley’s bromance is the main draw, with the former’s confidence and neediness playing against the latter’s oddball sense of humor. Their chemistry is fun and fizzy with a hint of melancholy, more so than any big shocking twists or action thrills.
The series also explores the Department of Damage Control's interest in Simon and Trevor, as they seek to lock up superpowered beings to justify their budget. The stakes are high for Simon, as his secret could cost him his career and freedom. However, the show's main focus is on Simon's struggles as a struggling artist, arguing with agents, sweating in audition rooms, and facing skepticism from relatives.
Wonder Man shares the wry amusement of creators who've spent time in Hollywood, but it lacks the sharp satirical bite toward the industry. It subverts the superhero genre by stripping away the epic scope and fantastical battles, bringing to the forefront the very human drives for approval, connection, and meaning.
