UPDATE! Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has been cast as Wonder Man.
Wonder Man will making his live-action debut soon in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The news is still pretty fresh, with a live-action Wonder Man TV series officially confirmed to be in development in June 2022. So far, updates have been pretty sparse regarding plot and casting. However, Destin Daniel Cretton, the director of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, has been tapped as the executive producer and Andrew Guest will serve as the show’s head writer.
So far, two cast members have been announced. On August 30th, 2022, it was confirmed that Ben Kingsley would be reprising his role as Trevor Slattery for the series. The series is believed to be more comedic or satirical in nature, as it explores Wonder Man’s struggling acting career, meaning the role requires a bit of a flexible actor who can do both action and comedy. As of October 31, 2022, the series has also officially cast its Wonder Man.
In the comics, Wonder Man boasts good looks and incredible strength, but he has always been a reluctant hero. Despite redeeming himself, he always remained cowardly, selfish, and arrogant, making him not very likeable. Yet Wonder Man is one of those rare unlikeable characters who rose to attain status as a cult favorite among fans. Hence, fans are especially interested in who will be cast as the live-action Wonder Man. Here is who was chosen to portray Wonder Man, along with 8 other actors that could’ve pulled off the role.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
As reported by Deadline, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has officially been cast in the role of Wonder Man in the MCU. Abdul-Mateen was first linked to the role when Screen Geek reported he was in talks with Marvel for it on October 18, 2022. The news site reportedly had seen the casting grid for the show, but now he has officially accepted the role. Abdul-Mateen is no stranger to the superhero world, considering he previously starred in Aquaman as Black Manta, as well as in HBO’s Watchmen series as Cal Abar.
Abdul-Mateen will make an excellent Wonder Man. He is an extremely talented actor on the rise. While he only made his Hollywood debut in 2017, in the past 5 years, he has managed to appear in numerous major blockbusters and the critically acclaimed Watchmen series. Additionally, he has proven he performs well in the superhero and action genres, and he has the physique of Wonder Man. Now, starring as Wonder Man will also allow him to explore the comedy genre further.
Nathan Fillion
Nathan Fillion is one of the most obvious choices for Wonder Man, considering he previously played the role in the MCU. Fillion was cast as Wonder Man for a cameo in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. The cameo was set to feature Simon Williams (a.k.a. Wonder Man) alongside several posters of his movies, including one in which he portrays Tony Stark. Despite the scene ultimately being cut, Gunn does still consider it canon to the MCU. Fillion later lent his voice to Wonder Man in the Hulu’s animated series M.O.D.O.K.
Ever since Wonder Man was announced, fans have been pushing for the role to go back to Fillion. He’s an accomplished actor best known for his role in Firefly, where he plays cunning and fierce Captain Malcolm Reynolds. While he can be a serious actor, he’s also truly a natural-born comedian. Needless to say, Fillion fits the role of Wonder Man to a T and the role does seem to be rightfully his too, making him one of the top choices to portray the character.
Henry Golding
Henry Golding is definitely among the top of the list of actors being fan cast as Wonder Man. Golding is a Malaysian-British actor best known for starring in Crazy Rich Asians, Snake Eyes, and A Simple Favor. He is one of the fastest rising actors in Hollywood, and fans have been clamoring for him to take on all kinds of roles from the next James Bond to Wonder Man. Meanwhile, it’s not hard to see why he would be an excellent choice for Wonder Man. He is so charming, charismatic, confident, and witty that he would truly shine as a superhero.
Golding has also proven to be a very flexible and versatile actor. He has been in romcoms, dramas, and action flicks and, every time perfectly molds his character to fit the tone and setting. As a rising actor with charm and comedic intelligence, Golding would crush the role of Wonder Man for sure.
Channing Tatum
Channing Tatum once almost entered the MCU as Gambit, until the film was ultimately cancelled. If he can’t be Gambit, then Wonder Man would be the second best fit for the actor. Tatum’s recent films, Dog and The Lost City, are examples of why Tatum is perfect for Wonder Man. He excels in playing arrogant characters who can come off a bit snobbish and don’t take themselves too seriously, but who often succeed in pulling through as the good guy in the end.
Additionally, Tatum looks the part of a superhero and is the kind of passionate actor who gives 100% in each of his projects. Wonder Man is a role that simply seems perfectly tailored to Tatum’s strengths and acting style, and it’s about time he had a second chance at entering the MCU.
Jensen Ackles
While fans have cast Jensen Ackles as Captain America and Hawkeye, Wonder Man is definitely the best MCU role for him. Ackles is best known for starring as Dean Winchester in Supernatural and as Soldier Boy in The Boys. Now, fans are suggesting he portray Wonder Man in the MCU. The role certainly seems more in line with Ackles’ previous roles as Dean and Soldier Boy. He frequently plays characters who are deeply arrogant, headstrong, and who have a wry sense of humor. Meanwhile, his role in The Boys proved that Ackles can easily and seamlessly take on the role of a superpowered individual.
Ackles also boasts an enormous fan base that would certainly flock to Wonder Man if he were cast in the titular role. Hw has proven that he makes an excellent superhero, he can pull off Wonder Man’s unique personality, and he could easily adapt to the more comedic or satirical tones of the show. He’s also another actor we’re itching to see in the MCU, and the Wonder Man role offers a potential entryway for him.
Matt Bomer
Matt Bomer is an American actor and producer best known for starring in All My Children, White Collar, and Doom Patrol. He officially entered the superhero genre with his role as Larry Trainor in Doom Patrol, proving he can perform quite well as a superpowered individual. In White Collar, he also showed he can play a rather nefarious and headstrong character who struggled with morality. Meanwhile, his resume encompasses every film genre from thriller to drama to comedy. Bomer is a very talented and flexible actor who looks, and can definitely act, the part of a superhero. It’s no wonder that fans have nabbed him as one of their top candidates for the role of Wonder Man.
Henry Cavill
Henry Cavill is another name being tossed around by fans for the role of Wonder Man. Of course, he has also been rumored to be portraying Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four and his name has been circulating for Captain Britain and Colossus. Basically, Cavill is so highly recognizable, talented, charming, and dashing, that we just really want to see him in any MCU role. He certainly looks the part of Wonder Man, but, while he has done comedies before, Wonder Man‘s comedic/satirical nature isn’t quite within Cavill’s typical line of work.
Still, this hasn’t stopped fans from choosing Cavill as one of their top picks for Wonder Man. Also, it’s clear that he has the acting talent to pull it off. At the same time, he might be much better suited for other MCU roles that would allow him to put his full acting chops on display. Also, isn’t playing both Superman and Wonder Man just… well… a bit much?
Jon Hamm
Jon Hamm is an American actor best known for his role in Mad Men which garnered him 8 Emmy nominations and one win. In addition to Mad Men, he has starred in Black Mirror, Good Omens, and Legion. He also boasts guest appearances in numerous comedies including Parks and Recreation and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. He has played very serious roles, such as an alcoholic and adulterer haunted by secrets from his past in Mad Men, and more comedic roles, such as a grown man imbedded in a life-long game of tag in the 2018 film, Tag.
Meanwhile, Hamm has one of those faces that just simply begs to be a superhero. Hamm looks the part of Wonder Man, is one of the most versatile actors on this list, and boasts an impressive resume. Not to mention, fans love the idea of him in the role. The MCU would definitely be very lucky to cast him in the role of Wonder Man.
Steven Yeun
Steven Yeun is another actor that fans have latched onto as a strong candidate for Wonder Man. Yeun first rose to prominence for his role in The Walking Dead and later gained critical acclaim for starring in Minari. More recently, he has starred in Okja, Nope, and Invincible. He’s an accomplished actor who boasts a 7 year run on one of the most watched TV shows in America, an Academy Award nomination, and an overall impressive resume.
His latest role in Nope also shows why he’s a perfect candidate for Wonder Man, as he portrayed an arrogant actor who played God until he got in over his head. Yeun can do both serious roles and comedic roles and, like most of the actors on this list, we’re really interested in seeing him put his own spin on playing a superhero.
Who do you think would make a good Wonder Man? Let us know in the comments!
(featured image: Marvel Comics)
