Wonder Man Reviews Call Series “Terrific” but Light on Superhero Action

Note: This article contains spoilers for Marvel Television’s Wonder Man series.

The reviews for the Wonder Man series have dropped following the world premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, California. The series debuts with a 94% score on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the highest-rated live-action MCU show in five years.

According to the exclusive reviews, those who watched the first four episodes at the premiere have shared reports that the show is a “charming, engaging story about friendship and pursuing your dreams. Even with barely any action and few MCU references, there’s still plenty to enjoy.”

The series focus on Hollywood within the MCU, where a new law bans mutants from working in the industry. Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) hides his powers to pursue acting and lies on his Wonder Man audition, which prohibits anyone with abilities. His mutant powers activate under stress, including super strength and kinetic energy manipulation.

Trevor Slattery discovers Simon’s powers and contacts Damage Control, an agency that hunts individuals with uncontrolled abilities and will appear in Spider-Man 4 and possibly the X-Men saga. Simon later exposes Damage Control’s actions and free people from them. His brother, Grim Reaper, is revealed as the villain, using advanced tech and an energy scythe. Episode 4 focuses on Grim Reaper and Doorman.

According to Eric Goldman, “Wonder Man is a great show about a struggling actor with superpowers—who’s not a superhero—and his new best friend, who used to pretend to be a terrorist. It’s a strong Hollywood-set buddy comedy that succeeds in making sure you love its central duo.”

ScreenRant revealed that, “This is a drama with comedy and action spliced in, digging into the mind of a man who is fighting hard to achieve his dreams. It manages to balance this challenging topic with humor, mystery, and tension.”

Here’s the plot details for Wonder Man:

Aspiring Hollywood actor Simon Williams is struggling to get his career off the ground. During a chance meeting with Trevor Slattery, an actor whose biggest roles may be well behind him, Simon learns that legendary director Von Kovak is remaking the superhero film Wonder Man. The two actors, at opposite ends of their careers, doggedly pursue life-changing roles in the film as audiences get a peek behind the curtain of the entertainment industry.

The series was created by Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest, and produced by Kevin Feige, Stephen Broussard, Jonathan Schwartz, Brad Winderbaum, Cretton, and Guest.

The series stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams/Wonder Man, alongside Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery, Demetrius Grosse as Eric Williams/Grim Reaper, Ed Harris as Neal Saroyan, Arian Moayed as P. Cleary, Zlatko Burić as Von Kovak, and Béchir Sylvain as Sanford Williams. The cast also includes Josh Gad as himself, Byron Bowers as DeMarr Davis/Doorman, Juliette Ortega as Melanie, Lauren Glazier, Olivia Thirlby, and X Mayo in to-be-confirmed roles, with Joe Pantoliano also appearing in an undisclosed role.

Wonder Man will consist of eight episodes, all of which will premiere on Disney+ on January 27, 2026.