Marvel trailers really do move like city buses. Nothing for months, then suddenly three pull up at once and all of them want your attention. After teasing big Avengers returns over the holidays, Marvel has now dropped something far more intriguing and far less galaxy exploding: the first real look at Wonder Man.
Wonder Man is an upcoming series starring Yahya Abdul Mateen II as Simon Williams, a struggling actor who also happens to have superpowers he would very much prefer not to advertise while trying to land the role of a lifetime playing a superhero called Wonder Man. Yes, it is as self aware as it sounds, and that is exactly why it might work.
From the trailer alone, the vibe feels like Marvel decided to smash She Hulk into a Hollywood satire and let it free roam. The show is coming from Shang Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton and Hawkeye writer Andrew Guest, which suggests this is not just another quip machine. It looks genuinely interested in poking at the industry, the MCU, and itself all at once.
The supporting cast only adds to the weird charm. Ben Kingsley returns as Trevor Slattery, still delightfully untrustworthy and now playing mentor to Williams. Zlatko Burić shows up as eccentric director Von Kovak, who is attempting to reboot the in universe Wonder Man movie while juggling egos, disasters, and a leading man with powers that refuse to behave.
There is also the looming presence of Damage Control, because nothing ruins a creative dream quite like a government agency that exists solely to say absolutely not.
What makes Wonder Man feel refreshing is that it seems built to address superhero fatigue by laughing at it rather than pretending it does not exist. It is Marvel pulling back the curtain, letting us watch the mess, and inviting us to enjoy the chaos.
Wonder Man premieres on Disney+ January 28, and if this trailer is any indication, Marvel may finally have found a way to make fun of itself without breaking itself.
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