Wonder Man Adds 5 New Marvel Characters to the MCU (& 2 Returning Ones)

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2026 promises to be a massive year for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with both Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday expected to be blockbuster hits. However, kicking off the year is Wonder Man, a unique and smaller-scale series from Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest. Starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, known for his comic book roles, Wonder Man takes a slightly different approach, existing under Marvel’s Spotlight banner – meaning it’s not heavily connected to the main MCU storyline, but still acknowledges its place within the larger universe. The series introduces seven characters from Marvel Comics (including two familiar faces) alongside a cast of new creations. Here’s a look at who’s starring in Wonder Man…

Wonder Man’s Returning MCU Characters

Trevor Slattery – Sir Ben Kingsley

Ben Kingsley returns as Trevor Slattery, the actor who famously portrayed a fake Mandarin in Iron Man 3. This is his third major appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (fourth if you include the short film All Hail the King). After being rescued from prison in All Hail the King by the real Mandarin, Slattery briefly lived in Ta Lo, as seen in Shang-Chi. However, he eventually returned to the US, seemingly finding life with his magical sidekick, Morris, wasn’t enough to keep him there.

Trevor becomes friends with Simon Williams while trying out for the new Wonder Man movie, and often delivers humorous commentary on the inner workings of Hollywood. Veteran actor Sir Ben Kingsley is, as always, delightful to watch.

Agent P. Cleary – Arian Moayed

Okay, so Arian Moayed is quickly becoming a familiar face in the MCU – he played that Damage Control agent in both Spider-Man: No Way Home and Ms. Marvel. Even though the Sokovia Accords are history, Damage Control is still around, basically acting as a sort of super-powered police force, making sure things don’t get out of hand on the streets. In the latest episodes, his character, Cleary, is laser-focused on uncovering Simon Williams’ abilities and, well, let’s just say he’s determined to prove Williams is operating with powers.

Wonder Man’s Marvel Comics Characters

Simon Williams – Yahya Adbul-Mateen II

The central character in Wonder Man is Simon Williams, played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, a struggling actor hoping for his big break, but held back by his own ego. Simon is also a Marvel superhero who first appeared in comics in the 1960s, though his story has been significantly updated for this series. While his powers remain largely unseen, and his career as an actor is taken from the comics, that’s where most of the similarities end.

Simon’s comic book history is famously unusual: he’s died and come back to life, had his brain patterns used to create the character Vision, and even became an actor, influenced by the new Avenger Hercules. Given his strange backstory, it’s fitting that Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s portrayal in the MCU is also a bit different from typical heroes. Mateen II is known for playing Black Manta in the Aquaman films and Dr. Manhattan in the Watchmen series. Kameron J. Meadows plays the younger version of Simon in flashback scenes.

Eric Williams – Demetrius Grosse

In Marvel comics, Eric Williams was a powerful villain and master of the dark arts, famously known as Grim Reaper. Like his portrayal in the MCU series, he was the brother of Simon Williams. Initially, Eric aided Simon’s scheme to get revenge on Tony Stark and Stark Industries. However, he turned into a supervillain after Simon sacrificed himself to save the Avengers.

I’ve been really enjoying Eric in the MCU – he’s such a relatable character because he doesn’t have any superpowers, and his life seems pretty normal. It’s interesting to see his complicated relationship with his brother, especially since he’s frustrated by his brother’s choices. And it’s great to see Demetrius Grosse playing him! I recognize him from so many things – he was fantastic in shows like The Rookie, Heroes, Westworld, Justified, and Banshee. He’s a really solid actor.

Martha Williams – Shola Adewusi

I absolutely loved Shola Adewusi as Simon’s mom, Martha! You might remember her from a quick appearance in Paddington 2 or her role in Bob Hearts Abishola. She brings a really fun, comedic energy to the show, often as a background character. It’s cool to know that Martha and her husband, Sanford, actually have a history in the Wonder Man comics too!

Sanford Williams – Béchir Sylvain

Simon’s father is a significant figure from Simon’s past, shown only in memories, and inspired Simon’s passion for movies and acting. He has passed away by the time the story of Wonder Man begins. He is portrayed by Béchir Sylvain, a Haitian-American actor recently seen as the character LeClerc in Jurassic World: Rebirth.

DeMarr “Doorman” Davis – Byron Bowers

DeMarr Davis is a mysterious character, and without giving too much away, he’s the reason superheroes aren’t hired in Hollywood within the show’s universe. He appears in what many fans consider the series’ best episode—a black and white flashback focusing entirely on his story. The role is brilliantly played by comedian Byron Bowers, known for his work on The Eric Andre Show.

Doorman, a comic book character, has the ability to teleport people and objects by turning his body into a doorway to the Darkforce dimension. He’s sometimes frustrated with his role on the Great Lakes team and occasionally feels ashamed. He even died once, but was brought back to life by Oblivion as Angel of Death, gaining even more power in the process.

Wonder Man’s Key Supporting Characters

Janelle Jackson is played by X Mayo, a comedian and writer for The Daily Show. Her character is Simon’s agent – she’s often a little shady and always tired.

Zlatko Buric plays Von Kovak, the unusual director of the upcoming Wonder Man remake. He’s best known for his role as the corrupt president Vasil Ghurkos in James Gunn’s Superman. Buric’s character is a humorous exaggeration of acclaimed directors who have chosen to work on superhero films.

Jon Abrahams, known for his roles in the Scary Movie films, appears as the agent of DeMarr Davis in a standout episode of Doorman.

Wonder Man’s Real World Cameos

  • Josh Gad – Gad appears as a caricatured version of himself, who adores the lime light, and parties a little hard.
  • Joe Pantoliano – an exceptionally funny cameo by Pantoliano (as himself) bookends the series. He’s a former friend and colleague of Trevor.
  • Mario Lopez – the Access Hollywood host appears as himself hosting industry dirtrag show “Hot Goss”.
  • Ashley Greene – the Twilight series actor appears as herself in the first episode as a co-star of Simon on American Horror Story.

All eight episodes of Wonder Man will be available to stream on Disney+ starting Tuesday, January 27th at 9 PM Eastern Time. Excited about the show? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-01-27 17:13