The Marvel Cinematic Universe is going meta with Wonder Man, a new TV series starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II that’ll bring back a major character from She-Hulk, according to a new leak.
Wonder Man was first announced in 2022, but updates were few and far between until October this year, when a trailer revealed a sneak peek at the upcoming Marvel project.
Yahya will play Simon Williams, an actor and stuntman who auditions for a role in a superhero series. He was introduced in the comics in 1964, written as an industrialist rival to Tony Stark who gained “iconic energy” powers from Baron Zemo. While he fought the Avengers several times, he eventually joined the team and founded its West Coast division.
The series is clearly taking the character in a different direction, especially with the inclusion of Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley) Iron Man 3’s Mandarin who was revealed to be a failed actor.
Now, an alleged synopsis for Wonder Man has leaked (via MaxBlizz), and it sounds wild.
“Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays a twisted version of himself – a meta take like we’ve never seen in the MCU. The story kicks off with Yahya (as himself) persistently auditioning for roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after disappointing roles in the hero world – and he’s met with rejection after rejection,” the leak reads.
“Every time he tries, he’s shut down, leading to some hilarious – and increasingly desperate – attempts to get his foot in the door. But things take a turn when Yahya, frustrated and determined, sneaks onto Marvel Studios in a last-ditch effort to prove himself.”
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So far, that sounds pretty unique – but it’s going to get even crazier, as Yahya’s character is set to find K.E.V.I.N., the MCU AI introduced in She-Hulk.
“Here, he stumbles upon the AI known as K.E.V.I.N., whom Marvel fans will remember from She-Hulk. Yahya inadvertently discovers massive MCU secrets. But K.E.V.I.N. isn’t about to let him just walk away with that knowledge – so it traps him inside the MCU itself.
“From this point, the series reportedly spirals into a wild ride where Yahya, no longer an actor auditioning for a role, becomes part of the MCU. Knowing he’s ‘stuck,’ Yahya starts messing with the MCU’s reality-manipulating storylines – creating chaotic situations and even giving himself superpowers to become the hero he’s always dreamed of playing.
“Now, instead of being cast as a hero, he’s trying to become one within the universe. Expect tons of fourth-wall breaks and self-referential humor as he tries to position himself as the next big hero – all while K.E.V.I.N. keeps a close watch on his every move.”
The show has been developed by Destin Daniel Cretton (who’s directing Spider-Man 4) and Andrew Guest, who’s serving as showrunner. Take this synopsis with a pinch of salt, obviously – but if it’s true, Marvel Phase 6 is going to be one helluva ride.
In the meantime, find out what we know about Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, check out our ranking of the MCU movies, and our list of the best superhero movies of all time.
