From the start, the Marvel Cinematic Universe aimed for a sense of realism, creating a world that felt familiar to our own. To enhance this, filmmakers like Kevin Feige included cameos from real-life people, such as Elon Musk in Iron Man 2, which served a different purpose than Stan Lee’s usual appearances. Later, the MCU also started referencing actual movies and TV shows, providing a quick and easy way for audiences to get a joke.
Given the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s tendency to include nods to other films and TV shows, it’s not surprising that the new Disney+ series Wonder Man does the same. The show centers around Simon Williams, an actor trying to make it in Hollywood, so incorporating these references felt natural. However, closely examining the real-world franchises mentioned in Wonder Man actually creates a significant inconsistency in the plot.
Wonder Man References Major Shows That Star MCU Actors
The first scene of Wonder Man shows Simon landing a part in a big TV show, and he’s really dedicated – maybe too dedicated. Once on set, he starts peppering his scene partner and the director with questions about his character and the scene itself, which quickly throws off the filming schedule. Anyone familiar with how movies are made would recognize this as a problem, especially because Simon’s role is small – he only has a few lines before his character dies.
In one scene, Simon (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) interacts with actress Ashley Greene, who plays herself. He then compliments both her and the director, specifically mentioning Greene’s work in the Twilight series and the director’s episodes of Sons of Anarchy and Castle Rock. While these references might not register with all viewers, fans familiar with the actors and shows will notice a pattern. For example, Twilight featured Chaske Spencer and Lee Pace, both of whom have appeared in Marvel projects. Sons of Anarchy included Jamie McShane and Theo Rossi, who have also been in Marvel films. And the first season of Castle Rock starred Bill Skarsgård, who provided the voice of Kro in Eternals.
The biggest issue of all is that Simon has landed a role on American Horror Story. What began as a simple way for Disney to combine its properties has become complicated because American Horror Story often features actors who also appear in Marvel films. Evan Peters, a regular on American Horror Story, previously played Quicksilver in the X-Men movies, which isn’t a direct Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) conflict, but he also starred in WandaVision. However, the most significant problem is Angela Bassett, who has appeared in five seasons of American Horror Story and even received two Emmy nominations for her work on the show. As fans know, Bassett also played Queen Ramonda in the Black Panther films.
These inconsistencies don’t ruin Wonder Man completely, but they are definitely noticeable and take away from what is otherwise one of Marvel’s strongest recent shows. While some viewers might not pick up on these plot holes created by the writing, they’re hard to ignore for those who are paying close attention.
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2026-01-28 17:12