"Marvel takes an admirable risk with Wonder Man, an eight-episode Disney+ original series, by tabling grandiose superhero action set pieces fans love and playing up inside-baseball jokes, a la Seth Rogen's The Studio. That move might well turn off traditionalists who crave nonstop action and CGI-heavy smackdowns, but it is a refreshing change of pace to see Marvel take its brake off the gas to allow for more character-driven storytelling that is reliant on the chemistry of its two leads."
"Lucky for everyone involved, including showrunner Andrew Guest and co-creator Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), the pairing of former Oakland resident Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (2021's Candy Man and The Matrix Resurrections) with Oscar-winner Sir Ben Kingsley strikes comedic odd-couple gold. Abdul-Matten II wins you over as anxiety-ridden, struggling actor Simon Williams, recently bounced from American Horror Story since he overthinks the purpose of his one lame line."
Wonder Man is an eight-episode Disney+ series that trades large-scale superhero action for inside-baseball comedy and character-driven storytelling. The series centers on anxious, struggling actor Simon Williams, who discovers a reboot casting for Wonder Man and reconnects with the disgraced actor Trevor Slattery. Trevor is coerced by the Department of Damage Control to spy on Simon, whose latent superpowers emerge when he becomes angry. The show relies heavily on the comedic chemistry between Yahya Abdul‑Mateen II and Ben Kingsley, and leans into cameos and industry satire, including a heightened version of Josh Gad. The tone emphasizes actors, relationships, and satire over CGI-heavy spectacle.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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