Wonder Man Preview Unveils The MCU's Most Self-Referential Series Ever

Marvel is aware that viewers could be experiencing some superhero fatigue, so they've decided to incorporate that very concept into their upcoming superhero show.

That's right, the first trailer for Wonder Man has arrived, and it pledges a self-referential angle on the MCU.

The preview, which debuted on Oct. 10, also subtly pushed the Wonder Man launch date later from its original late 2025 window into January 2026.

Why one more superhero movie? People is tired of superheroes. Why watch them in the theater? Wonder Man spoke to me on a profound level. There is an opportunity to shock audiences. To reimagine the entire genre of storytelling.

The reporter responds: "Have you given any thought about the cast?"

The preview then cuts to lead actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who's viewing the conversation on his phone, and the preview ends.

Photo: Marvel

What We Know About Wonder Man

We already knew that Wonder Man would be a meta take on the MCU. The series features Abdul-Mateen II as the character Simon Williams, a Hollywood actor who transforms into a super-powered being (the hero Wonder Man).

The rest of the cast features Ben Kingsley reprising his role as Iron Man 3's Trevor Slattery, Demetrius Grosse as Eric Williams (aka Grim Reaper), Ed Harris as Simon's agent Neal Saroyan, and Arian Moayed returning as Department of Damage Control agent P. Cleary.

Marvel's Meta-Humor Approach

We don't know much else about the plot of Wonder Man, but it's evident that the studio intends to laugh at its own tropes.

In the wake of Deadpool & Wolverine, it seems like the studio is all in on meta-humor. Will this approach succeed without the celebrity appeal of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman? Only time will tell.