Wonder man and yahya abdul-mateen

Let Me Scream About Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Potential as Marvel’s Wonder Man!!

This is about to be amazing.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is taking over Hollywood in the best way and I love it. Currently starring on Broadway in Topdog/Underdog, Abdul-Mateen is no stranger to the comic book genre. He crashed into our homes as Dr. Manhattan in the HBO series Watchmen and went on to star in Aquaman and the upcoming Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

Recommended Videos

Now, Abdul-Mateen is adding another complex character to his roster and he joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Wonder Man in the upcoming Disney+ series. According to Deadline, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton and Hawkeye co-producer Andrew Guest are both involved in the project, but Abdul-Mateen’s casting is the first big news we’ve gotten since its announcement.

But now, for me, as someone who loves Wanda Maximoff most of all, I’m about to live my best of lives. Because Wonder Man and Wanda Maximoff have a past together, and god, please, just let me see Elizabeth Olsen and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II onscreen together.

We don’t know much about the series, and this casting is the first info we’ve gotten, so how Abdul-Mateen will play into the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe is still up in the air, but this is amazing news!

Who is Wonder Man?

Simon Williams is a complex character who was a villain-turned-hero who went from an enemy of the Avengers to their ally. So when you think of characters with complicated connections to the team, it makes sense that he has a thing with Wanda. Williams, though, is a “competitor” for Stark Industries in the comics, so seeing how that’d play into a post-Tony MCU is going to be fun.

As we explain in our breakdown of the character, Wonder Man gets his powers after Baron Zemo and Amora the Enchantress rescue him, and Williams is convinced to undergo “ionic ray” treatment. Frankly, the inclusion of Wonder Man is exciting, and having Yahya Adbul-Mateen II in the MCU is my own dream come true (I love his work so much), but I’m fascinated by the idea of where this show will play into the timeline and where Simon is in his “heroic” journey.

Until we know more, though, it’s time to read all the Wanda/Wonder Man context I can get my hands on!

(featured image: Marvel Entertainment/Universal Pictures)


The Mary Sue is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author
Image of Rachel Leishman
Rachel Leishman
Assistant Editor
Rachel Leishman (She/Her) is an Assistant Editor at the Mary Sue. She's been a writer professionally since 2016 but was always obsessed with movies and television and writing about them growing up. A lover of Spider-Man and Wanda Maximoff's biggest defender, she has interests in all things nerdy and a cat named Benjamin Wyatt the cat. If you want to talk classic rock music or all things Harrison Ford, she's your girl but her interests span far and wide. Yes, she knows she looks like Florence Pugh. She has multiple podcasts, normally has opinions on any bit of pop culture, and can tell you can actors entire filmography off the top of her head. Her current obsession is Glen Powell's dog, Brisket. Her work at the Mary Sue often includes Star Wars, Marvel, DC, movie reviews, and interviews.