Rebuilding Rob

Marvel’s latest offering may not be breaking the fourth wall, but it’s giving it a pretty hard look.

Wonder Man is the latest installment in the ongoing Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it takes a decidedly “meta” approach to the superhero genre. Starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams, the series follows a struggling actor desperately trying to land the lead in an in-universe fictional superhero revival. The catch? Simon has actual superpowers he’s trying to keep under wraps.

The “Meta” of the Industry

I’ll be honest: I wasn’t deeply familiar with the Wonder Man of the comics before this. I knew the basics—Simon Williams, aspiring actor turned powerhouse—but the show adds a layer of Hollywood satire I wasn’t expecting. We also get the return of Sir Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery. It’s wild to think Marvel has an Oscar winner in their back pocket just to bring back as a “failed” actor whenever they need some comic relief.

I know some “purists” get a bit triggered when a character’s ethnicity changes from the source material. But honestly? Unless a character’s race is baked into their DNA—like Black Panther or Captain America—I’m more interested in the performance. In Wonder Man, this change actually adds a layer of realism to Simon’s “callback” anxiety and makes his eventual success feel even more hard-earned.

Episode Breakdown – SPOILERS AHEAD

• Episodes 1-3: Trevor Slattery is recruited by the Department of Damage Control (DODC) to spy on Simon. By episode three, Simon’s powers manifest during his mother’s birthday party, and the cat is officially out of the bag.

• Episode 4: “Doorman”: A standout episode shot entirely in black-and-white. It tells the origin of Darnell “Doorman” Davis and explains the “Doorman Clause”—the legal reason why superpowered beings are banned from being actors.

• Episodes 5-6: Simon bails Trevor out of a jam with drug dealers but gets caught on film. The “meta” commentary goes into overdrive during their callbacks, where Trevor uses the script to confess his betrayal to Simon.

• Episodes 7-8: Trevor “falls on his sword” by donning his Mandarin persona one last time to take the blame for a studio explosion. Simon becomes a star, but the series ends with him breaking Trevor out of a DODC prison.

FINAL TAKE

All in all, Wonder Man was better than I expected. The “actors playing actors” trope can be a bit much, but it’s essential to Simon Williams’ character. It’s not the worst Marvel project by a long shot—in fact, it’s better than many of the recent entries. Ben Kingsley is an absolute hoot, and you can tell he’s having the time of his life.

Definitely recommended for MCU fans. It’s a fun romp through a previously unexplored corner of the universe. The stakes weren’t “fate of the world” level, but they didn’t have to be.

The Stats

• Feature: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams
• MVP: Sir Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery
• Vibe: Hollywood Satire / Los Angeles Hustle
• Final Score: 7.5/10

Wonder Man is currently streaming in Disney+

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The article “Rob Reviews: Wonder Man first appeared on Rebuilding Rob.