Marvel Studios is well aware of a little phenomenon called superhero fatigue. The much-debated loss of interest in epic superhero sagas has plagued the genre for the better half of the decade, and Marvel’s own dogged need to keep itself at the center of the conversation is partially to blame. Its cinematic universe used to dominate pop culture, but ever since Avengers: Endgame, it’s struggled to justify its own existence. Not even self-aware jabs at the MCU’s expense — like in Deadpool & Wolverine or the shaky She-Hulk: Attorney at Law — are enough to put the franchise back on track. Those gestures are way too easy to see through, and they’re just one part of the lackluster, scattershot strategy Marvel’s been cycling through in its latest phases.
Fortunately, the franchise finally feels like it’s found its footing again. Marvel’s most recent projects have reclaimed the grasp on humor and heart that fans missed from early-phase MCU, with the fresh concepts of Thunderbolts and The Fantastic Four: First Steps doing their part to restore some of the old magic. And while Marvel reestablishes some goodwill on the big screen, its small-screen projects continue to push the envelope in terms of tone and scale. Next on the slate is Wonder Man, a project that feels unlike anything Marvel has attempted before, despite its wincingly familiar tone. With the new series, Marvel is diving back into meta comedy — but the franchise might have finally cracked the code.
Wonder Man is exploring well-trod ground from an intriguing angle: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is Simon Williams, a struggling, small-time actor desperate to make it big. He’s going out for the lead role in a reboot of Wonder Man, an old superhero property within the MCU. A venerated director named Von Kovak (Zlato Burić) has come out of retirement to helm the film, and he’s adamant about emulating the original’s low-scale wonder. That means practical effects and organic performances, but above all, no superpowered actors. And that’s a big problem for Simon, an enhanced individual — and “extraordinary threat,” according to the Department of Damage Control — who’s doing a terrible job concealing his powers.
Marvel has gone all-in on Wonder Man’s meta element, choosing the MCU’s most infamous in-universe actor, Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), formerly the Mandarin, as Simon’s unlikely mentor. Kingsley and Abdul-Mateen have even promoted the show in character, sitting down for an Actors on Actors-inspired interview as Trevor and Simon. And surprisingly, it’s done, well, wonders to give Wonder Man a bit of reality-blurring intrigue.
So much of the show is poised to deliver an earnest commentary on Marvel’s struggles with superhero fatigue, with its latest trailer even addressing the phenomenon directly. But what seems to set Wonder Man apart from its predecessors is its willingness to take itself seriously. Pastiche has only ever gotten Marvel so far; sure, Wonder Man teases plenty of humor, but the personal stakes are high. Simon feels like a person, with real fears and regrets, and a dangerous secret. By focusing on his journey, Wonder Man has the chance to build on the greatness introduced in projects like WandaVision and Thunderbolts. It’s not satire for satire’s sake, and that might make it one of Marvel’s most successful stories in a long time.
