After previously confirming that MCU thespians Simon Williams and Trevor Slattery would return for Wonder Man season 2 back in March, Marvel Studios has made the shock announcement that the Disney Plus show has now been cancelled.
The unrenewal is a surprise, for sure, and we'll forever be left wondering what could have been, and why. Read on for the latest reactions to the news, including showrunner Andrew Guest and star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's heartbreaking responses, a recap of what we knew about the second season, and more.
But be warned, there are spoilers for Wonder Man's only season ahead, so be sure to refresh yourself with our Wonder Man ending explained before reading on.
Is Wonder Man season 2 canceled?
Yes, it's true: Wonder Man season 2 has been cancelled just four months after previously being picked up for a second season.
"So proud of the show we made. So grateful to have worked with Destin Daniel Cretton, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Sir Ben Kingsley. Want to thank everyone who watched and all the critics who supported us," said showrunner Andrew Guest
"I wanted to say thank you to everybody who WATCHED the show, ENJOYED the show, and SHARED that they enjoyed the show in some way or other. The show worked. And that's my favorite thing about it," said star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II of the shock cancellation, before signing off, "And uhh... See you at the EMMYS." What a mic drop.
Why was Wonder Man season 2 canceled?
This is still a mystery. While we don't have ratings, given it's a streaming show, we do know that Wonder Man dropped out of the Disney Plus top 10 after just two weeks, which is a clear sign the show wasn't being widely viewed. However, Wonder Man's first season was a critical hit (we awarded it 4.5* in our Wonder Man review), was nominated for Emmys, and was renewed for a second season, so it's possible that low viewership was offset by the show's unanimous acclaim.
Another complicating factor is co-creator Destin Daniel Cretton. The filmmaker directed multiple episodes of the first season, and was a key creative voice behind the scenes. But Cretton just directed a little movie called Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is set to break box office records. It's possible that with Cretton potentially tied up with Spidey sequels, Wonder Man had to fall by the wayside.
Wonder Man season 2 cast: who would have returned?
Wonder Man season 2 would have brought back main characters Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley) and Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), whose relationship formed the core of the first season.
The show's creators, director Destin Daniel Cretton and writer Andrew Guest, were also expected to return for Wonder Man season 2.
Here's the main cast of Wonder Man season 1, many of whom would likely have returned in season 2:
- Yahya Abdul-Mateen II – Simon Williams
- Ben Kingsley – Trevor Slattery
- Zlatko Burić – Von Kovak
- Arian Moayed – Agent Cleary
- X Mayo – Janelle Jackson
- Byron Bowers – DeMarr Davis/Doorman
- Josh Gad – Josh Gad
- Joe Pantoliano – Joe Pantoliano
- Olivia Thirlby – Vivian
Wonder Man season 2 plot: what could it have been?
No plot details for Wonder Man season 2 have been revealed, but there are some likely threads from the first season that we're expecting to play directly into the show's return.
For one thing, Wonder Man season 1 concluded with Simon Williams using his powers to break Trevor Slattery out of prison. That is likely to form the backbone of a major season 2 plot.
There's also a very good chance that Wonder Man season 2 will focus on Simon's newfound movie stardom as the lead actor in the MCU's mega-successful Wonder Man film, though whether he continues to pursue a career in acting (or even can) following that prison break remains to be seen.
If you're not yet caught up, be sure to check out our review of Wonder Man season 1, and our guide to the ending of Wonder Man season 1 explained.
Wonder Man season 1 is streaming now on Disney Plus. Check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows for everything else the MCU has in store, or find out how to watch the Marvel movies in order.
