Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who plays a race-swapped Wonder Man in Marvel’s upcoming show of the same name, provided more details about the show and what viewers can expect.
In an interview with Empire, Abdul-Mateen II echoed what many Marvel actors now say while promoting their projects, “We’re doing something that, tonally, feels much different than really any other Marvel show, or any other films.”
From there, he shared, “We’re doing something that’s fresh, and a bit tongue-in-cheek, a bit self-aware.”
As for specifics, he revealed, “The show is self-aware, without looking directly into the camera. There’ll be commentary about superhero fatigue and things like that, but to me, it’s just dressing. That’s not really the aim of the show. The focus of the show is about an actor’s journey. It’s about a journey of friendship.”
Abdul-Mateen II’s comments echo what Marvel TV boss Brad Winderbaum told Entertainment Weekly in October revealing the show “takes place within the MCU, but it’s a story about Hollywood. And it’s a story about not just Hollywood, I would say it’s a story about acting and the journey of an actor in Hollywood, of having to balance being an artist with making money and very grounded ideas that anyone who came up in Hollywood or in the arts in general can relate to. I certainly could on a very deep level.”
When asked if it was Marvel’s version of The Studio, he responded, “[Wonder Man] is very different than The Studio, actually. It’s different tonally. It’s very sincere and it’s very focused on acting as a craft. The Studio is really more about the big Hollywood system and the machine and the craziness that ensues. This is really a very intimate portrait of one actor trying to live his dreams while the world and the need to make money intervenes.”
Additionally, he shared that Executive Producer Destin Daniel Cretton and Head Writer Andrew Guest have “crafted something that is really deep and wonderful and moving at times. It’s for an MCU fan that knows the history of Trevor Slattery from Iron Man 3 to Shang-Chi to here. There is a very interesting three-act structure for his character, as well. I don’t wanna spoil anything, but it’s very sincere. It’s very earnest. It’s not cynical.”
Finally, he revealed the show is currently planned to have just a single season, but if people show up to watch it, it is possible to have a second season, “I would put Marvel Zombies on that list, I’d put Wonder Man on that list where we have to see. Season 2s could be on the table if people watch. If it’s the only Wonder Man story, it really stands on its own as a beautiful piece. But I anticipate that when people get to the end of this story, they’re gonna want more. And I hope that’s what happens.”
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Wow. This sounds amazing...ly like every other piece of MCU crap that I never watched. Race swaps are also an immediate no-no. If Simon isn't white, something ain't right.
More evidence of Hollywood’s creative bankruptcy. “Self-aware and tongue-in-cheek” is not “fresh”. It’s not even smart. It’s a tired trope, commonly bombing since Superman 3.