Marvel Television’s Wonder Man — premiering Tuesday, January 27, with all eight episodes on Disney+ — introduces Simon Williams (Emmy® Award winner Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), an aspiring actor looking for his big break. Though he’s ambitious, resourceful, and talented, Simon can’t get out of his own head. During a chance meeting with Trevor Slattery (Oscar®, GRAMMY® Award, and two-time Golden Globe® Award winner Sir Ben Kingsley) — an out-of-work actor haunted by his infamous role as the terrorist known as the Mandarin — Simon learns that legendary director Von Kovak (Zlatko Burić) is remaking the superhero film Wonder Man. It would be the role of a lifetime for Simon, and he works hard to get cast the titular hero — all while keeping his own superpowers hidden.
In the Q&A below, Wonder Man series co-creator and head writer Andrew Guest opens up about what inspired his take on Simon Williams; fleshing out Trevor’s backstory following appearances in Iron Man 3 (2013) and Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings (2021); and giving fans a peek behind the curtain of the entertainment industry while showcasing the different facets of Hollywood.
What sets Wonder Man apart from other films and series in the MCU?
We really tried to make a show that felt different, that is still in the umbrella of the MCU, that still has a lot of the same DNA at its heart in terms of storytelling, comedy, and character, but is accessible to a different kind of audience. Hopefully people who love the MCU will still love this show, but people who think maybe the MCU is not for them might find Simon Williams as somebody they can root for and fall in love with. That’s the hope.
What inspired you to introduce Simon to the MCU in this way?
We’re trying to tell stories about the entertainment industry, really. And, to me, that’s about people who have stories to tell, who are facing the odds of a very difficult industry and still pursuing their dream — no matter what. I like the idea of Simon being an outsider, because Trevor’s an outsider, and seeing how they find each other and find a friendship in spite of everything.
Speaking of Trevor, what made you want to revisit and elevate that character?
One of the great resources we had was Sir Ben Kingsley, both in terms of him committing to being in the show, and in his understanding of this character that he’s lived with for 13 years. [Wonder Man co-creator and director Destin Daniel Cretton] and I had conversations with Sir Ben about who Trevor was, about what Trevor’s mother was like, about where his love of acting came from. The more I talked to him about it, the more I wanted to put all that into the show. I felt a real sense of responsibility writing for someone like Sir Ben; I wanted to give him material that was up to snuff and wouldn’t disappoint. Any page of dialogue you give him, he’s going to knock it out of park. We all raised each other’s game.
Trevor also finds himself mixed up with the Department of Damage Control…
Trevor often seems like the victim of circumstance. In Iron Man 3, he got caught up in this big cabal of bad guys who were using him. In Shang-Chi, he got caught up with the good guys — but he was still caught up. I liked the idea that we could take this character who — the moment he gets off the plane in LA — once again gets caught up in something big. But, for the first time, we see him decide to take ownership and action and realize that he can’t just blame circumstance anymore. He needs to step up and figure out what’s important to him and make some sacrifices. Even though he’s not putting on a cape and flying around, Trevor’s doing something selfless and sacrificing. And, to me, that’s heroism.
Why was it so important for you to set Wonder Man in real and recognizable Hollywood locations, whether it’s in restaurants like Clark Street Diner and Mother Wolf or at locations like the TCL Chinese Theatre?
Our incredible production designers, Cindy Chao and Michele Yu, are LA natives. When they presented to us, they showed us not only the kind of Hollywood that many people are familiar with, but they showed pictures of Thai Elvis and the House of Davids — all these quirky, eccentric sides of LA that aren’t often explored. That was really fun for us in the writer’s room. So, getting to shoot in LA, for LA, with an LA-based crew was really a gift. It really made the show feel different, and I don’t think you could replicate it in any other way.
You have Josh Gad and Joe Pantoliano playing versions of themselves, and there are also references to Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Glenn Howerton. Between casting and locations, how else did you ensure that the series would feel authentically Hollywood?
Part of making things feel real is being specific and using touchpoints that we all understand. I don’t want Simon acting on a random TV show in the pilot; I want it to be American Horror Story. I want to mention actors we all know. That’s hard to do in the MCU, because there’s so many people who are already in it… We tried hard. The tentacles of the MCU are all over this town.
Speaking of American Horror Story, Wonder Man includes countless other references and story points that span the various studios and content brands within The Walt Disney Company. As a writer, what was it like having that wealth of IP at your disposal?
Well, one of the tricky things we came up against in the pilot was which show that Simon was going to be on. Luckily, when we reached out to Ryan Murphy, he was on board. We had full agreement with him — and we even got to name check him, which was really fun. That’s an iconic show, and we felt confident would still be in the zeitgeist. All those things make it feel real.
What are you most excited for fans to take away from Wonder Man?
I’m excited for audiences to hopefully relate to and root for these two weirdos. And I’m excited for all the people who put so much time and effort into this project — our crew, every department head, every accountant — to finally see all the fruits of their labor onscreen, because that’s what we’re all in it for. We all work really hard, and we want people to see the work and appreciate the work. Hopefully, people connect with the show.
In the Spotlight
Premiering January 27
Simon Williams and Trevor Slattery — two actors at opposite ends of their careers — chase life-changing roles in Hollywood.