Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has been tapped to play Wonder Man in the upcoming Disney Plus series of the same name. If neither of those monikers ring a bell, their related media certainly will. Here’s how Abdul-Mateen and Wonder Man tie into the great comic book hero universe.
Meet Marvel’s Wonder Man
For those unfamiliar with secondary comic book characters, Wonder Man (AKA Simon Williams) is a Marvel Comics superhuman who debuted in 1964. Possessing a range of ion-enhanced physical and psychic powers, he has been both an Avenger and the Avengers’ nemesis. Wonder Man will likely be a hero in his eponymous MCU series, which is being developed by Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton and is set to feature Ben Kingsley as familiar MCU foe-turned-friend Trevor Slattery. A release date is not known.
Abdul-Mateen’s previous superhero roles
Thirty-six-year-old Abdul-Mateen is already a DC darling. He has played two different DC characters in three screen adaptations: Black Manta in the film Aquaman and its upcoming sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and Doctor Manhattan in the HBO miniseries Watchmen. When Wonder Man debuts, Abdul-Mateen will be one of the few DC/Marvel crossover actors.
Outside of the superhero genre, Abdul-Mateen has appeared as Morpheus in The Matrix Resurrections, Bobby Seale in The Trial of the Chicago 7, Candyman in Candyman, and a VR fighter/fucker in the “Striking Vipers” episode of Black Mirror.