Marvel’s ‘Wonder Man’ gets disappointing Season 2 update months after Disney+ renewal

‘Wonder Man’ update comes as a bolt out of the blue, especially after Yahya Abdul Mateen II was nominated for an Emmy Award.
Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams in ‘Wonder Man’ (Image Source: Marvel Television | Disney+)
Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams in ‘Wonder Man’ (Image Source: Marvel Television | Disney+)

Marvel's 'Wonder Man' will not return for Season 2 on Disney+, despite Disney previously announcing a renewal for the Marvel series in March. Variety first reported that a writers’ room for Season 2 was never opened and that the writers have now been released to pursue other projects. The reversal ends the show after its eight-episode Season 1, which premiered on January 27. However, Simon Williams, Trevor Slattery, and other characters introduced in the series could still appear in future Marvel Cinematic Universe projects.

The cancellation comes despite the series receiving positive reviews and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II earning an Emmy nomination for his performance as Simon. ‘Wonder Man’ holds a 91% critical approval score on Rotten Tomatoes. Ben Kingsley also returned as Trevor Slattery, the actor character first introduced as the fake Mandarin in 'Iron Man 3.' The series followed Simon and Trevor as they competed for roles in director Von Kovak’s remake of the fictional superhero movie ‘Wonder Man.’

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams and Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery discuss their next move in ‘Wonder Man’ (Image Source: Marvel Television | Disney+)
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams and Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery discuss their next move in ‘Wonder Man’ (Image Source: Marvel Television | Disney+)

Disney did not release viewership figures for the series. Nielsen reported that ‘Wonder Man’ generated 618 million viewing minutes during its opening week and ranked No. 8 among streaming originals from January 26 to February 1. It dropped out of the Top 10 the following week, leaving the series with one appearance on Nielsen’s weekly chart. 

The cancellation comes after the creative team had discussed possible stories beyond Season 1. In a January interview with Entertainment Weekly, co-creator Destin Daniel Cretton said, “We already have been just brainstorming, imagining where they could go next, but we can’t really tease anything at this point.” Cretton created the series with showrunner Andrew Guest and directed its first two episodes. 

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams and Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery meet Zlatko Burić’s director Von Kovak in ‘Wonder Man’ (Image Source: Marvel Television | Disney+)
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams and Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery meet Zlatko Burić’s director Von Kovak in ‘Wonder Man’ (Image Source: Marvel Television | Disney+)

The March renewal had been unusual for Marvel’s Disney+ lineup, where most live-action shows have remained limited to one season, although ‘Loki’ and ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ have continued beyond their first seasons. For now, the cancellation ends the series without moving forward with new episodes. It does not necessarily mark the end of Simon Williams or Trevor Slattery in the MCU, since sources said the characters remain available for other Marvel projects. No future appearances have been announced. Disney and Marvel have also not issued a public explanation for why the previously confirmed second season was dropped.

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

‘Carrie’, starring Summer H. Howell, is currently streaming on Prime Video
48 minutes ago
‘Abbott Elementary’ Season 6, starring Quinta Brunson, airs every Wednesday at  8:30/7:30c on ABC
2 hours ago
‘Chicago PD’, starring Jason Beghe, airs every Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET (9 p.m. CT) on NBC.
3 hours ago
Apple TV is adapting Josh Bazell’s 2009 novel ‘Beat the Reaper’ with Will Poulter playing an integral role
4 hours ago
Elisabeth Moss plays a criminal defense attorney in Hulu’s legal drama ‘Conviction,’ based on Jack Jordan’s 2023 novel
4 hours ago
'Chicago Fire' Season 15 Episode 1 time jump reveals favorite's fate after he’s trapped in warehouse fire in Season 14 cliffhanger
5 hours ago
The Season 12 premiere clears up the mystery surrounding Theo’s leaked medical files while leaving Sharon Goodwin’s future at Gaffney uncertain
6 hours ago
Lea Thompson’s mystery drama 'Anna Pigeon' has drawn strong viewer interest as Tracy Spiridakos leads the series based on Nevada Barr’s novels.
14 hours ago
‘The Hunting Wives’ gets a Season 3 update ahead of Season 2 as creator teases what’s next
15 hours ago
An 'Oppenheimer' star joins HBO’s new true-crime series 'The Trial of Louise Woodward' about the high-profile 1997 case of Louise Woodward.
15 hours ago