Marvel’s newest series, “Wonder Man”, might just be the best series that Marvel has put out. No, scratch that. It is the best series that Marvel has put out.
The whole show is rich with life and well-thought-out dialogue and characters. It’s real, and I am simply in awe of it.
Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the newest series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe dropped all at once on Disney+ on January 26th, 2026.
The story follows Simon Williams, played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, an aspiring actor in Hollywood who wants nothing more than to book the role of Wonder Man. Oh yeah, and he has superpowers.
With that being said, the superpowers in question act mainly as a catalyst for the conflict throughout the show. There is no big bad super villain. There are a couple of government agents trying to track down our superpowered protagonist, but for the majority of the show, he doesn’t know this. Instead, the true conflict lies internally. Can Simon come to terms with who he really is and break out of his isolation?
When we first meet Simon, he is an eager actor on a set driven by his overthinking of his character. He has a million and one thoughts about how one shot should be done, but in his zealous passion, he comes off as arrogant and heady, ultimately getting himself fired.
When he returns home to his apartment, his girlfriend is actively packing and leaving. The reason: Simon never lets her in. Alone, Simon sits in his half-finished apartment, his world crumbling around him.
From episode one, Simon is depicted as a very real character. He’s the kind of guy you’re annoyed with at times, and yet you still root for him to find success. He is a well-rounded character facing the consequences of his flaws and weaknesses.
Enter Trevor.
Trevor is a familiar character for many Marvel fans. Played by Ben Kingsley, Trevor is a slightly more experienced actor who served as the mask to the villain in Iron Man II as he paraded as a fake terrorist called “the Mandarin.” Trevor also provided the refreshing comedic relief in “Shang Chi.”
While many direct references to the Mandarin are made and Trevor continues to provide witty and hilarious comments throughout the show, staying true to the character Marvel fans know and love, this time Trevor steps into the role of the wizened mentor.
Trevor’s genuine passion for the art of acting, the importance of acting and the call to acting are what make his character so compelling in this series. He cares so deeply about Simon because he sees the same passion for the art inside of Simon, and he knows just how alone Simon feels.
There’s a monologue that Trevor tells Simon in episode six. It’s the moment that Trevor finally helps Simon see what makes up “the real” Simon Williams. I had already been sold on this show for seven episodes. I could identify that it had great writing and fantastic acting, but at this moment, I realised it wasn’t just good, it was truly meaningful to me.
“The real you is the sum of everything you’ve experienced,” Trevor says, “Mirror up to nature, that’s our job.”
It perfectly encapsulates why I love movies and shows. It’s why a part of me will always want to write stories that don’t just exist on paper, but can be played out by actors on a stage or a screen. Because if all of these stories depicted by another real human being that we get to laugh and cry with are a reflection of nature, that means that the hope and redemption tucked within them exist in the world we exist in.
These were the words that Simon needed, not only to get out of his head and to find himself within the art of acting, but to pull himself out of the cycle of self-isolation he was putting himself through.
There are still two more episodes after this moment that are filled with gut-wrenching conflict; however, I am electing to withhold that information as it would contain severe spoilers. Hopefully, I can convince at least one person to watch this show, and I would be remiss if I ruined their experience.
I find it tragic that this show hasn’t received much attention and marketing. There is hope that Marvel can bring this character back in a wide range of ways. However, I wouldn’t be upset at all if they left this character perfectly sequestered to his own story. Some things are meant to be left alone.
Let “Wonder Man” be the meal that you want to sit and chew on. It’s worth taking the time to think about and savour.
It truly is a wonder.
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