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

Marvel has heard that viewers might be experiencing some superhero fatigue, so they've opted to incorporate that very concept into their upcoming superhero series.

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

The trailer, which debuted on Oct. 10, also subtly pushed the Wonder Man release date later from its initial end of 2025 window into January 2026.

Why another superhero movie? Everyone is tired of superhero content. Why go see them in the cinema? Wonder Man spoke to me on a profound level. There is an opportunity to shock viewers. To reimagine the entire category of storytelling.

The interviewer replies: "Have you given any thought about casting?"

The preview then transitions to lead actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who's watching the conversation on his mobile device, and the trailer ends.

Image: Marvel Comics Group

What We Know Regarding Wonder Man

We already knew that Wonder Man would be a self-referential interpretation on the MCU. The show features Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as the character Simon Williams, a film star who becomes a superhero (Wonder Man).

The rest of the cast includes 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 coming back as DODC officer P. Cleary.

The Studio's Meta-Humor Approach

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

In the wake of Deadpool & Wolverine, it seems like the production company is all in on self-referential comedy. Will this approach succeed without the star power of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman? Only time will tell.