It will be Abdul-third Mateen’s significant comic book role following Dr. Manhattan in the 2019 series Watchmen and the villain Black Manta in the 2018 film Aquaman. Read on to learn more.
Simon Williams, who turns into the eponymous superhero in the Disney+ series “Wonder Man,” will be played by actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.
It will be Abdul-third Mateen’s significant comic book role following Dr. Manhattan in the 2019 series “Watchmen,” for which he earned an Emmy, and the villain Black Manta in the 2018 film “Aquaman.”
His return as Black Manta is already confirmed for the Christmas 2023 release of “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” according to “Variety.”
As part of his overall contract with Marvel Studios and Onyx Collective, director Destin Daniel Cretton, who oversaw the production of Marvel’s 2021 film “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” is working on the script for “Wonder Mana” alongside chief writer Andrew Guest.
Cretton may also direct, despite his busy schedule: He has already been tapped to lead “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty” in 2025, and he is anticipated to head the upcoming “Shang-Chi” sequel, which has yet to be revealed.
Williams is a wealthy industrialist’s son in the comic books, and his company, Williams Innovations, is forced out of business by Stark Industries. Simon seeks help from Baron Zemo out of desperation, and the villain grants him abilities while ordering him to sabotage and later betray the Avengers.
However, Simon eventually decides to commit himself to the Avengers and even helps to form the West Coast Avengers, a spin-off group. It’s unclear, though, how much or how little of this plot will be included in the show.
Ben Kingsley is expected to reprise his role as Trevor Slattery, a failed actor turned reformed villain, which he first played in 2013’s “Iron Man 3” and then reprised in “Shang-Chi,” so it does seem likely that William’s comic history as an actor and stunt performer will be relevant to the plot of the show.