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Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Will Headline Marvel's Wonder Man Disney+ Series

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II attends a screening of Ambulance on March 24, 2022 in Madrid, Spain.
Photo: Pablo Cuadra/Getty Images for Universal Pictures (Getty Images)

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is a multitalented performer—earning accolades for his work on the big and small screens, as well as the Broadway stage. But it sure seems like he has a soft spot for genre fare, and the star of Candyman, Aquaman, Watchmen, and The Matrix Resurrections (but not, alas, Furiosa) is adding another big role to his resume: the title character in Marvel’s Disney+ series Wonder Man.

Deadline broke the news that the Emmy-winning actor is coming aboard the in-the-works project from Dustin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), who will direct and executive produce, and Andrew Guest (Hawkeye), who will be the show’s head writer. We also already knew that Ben Kingsley will be reprising his role as Trevor Slattery—aka “the Mandarin”—as seen in Shang-Chi and Iron Man 3.

As the trade reminds us, the Stan Lee, Don Heck, and Jack Kirby-created character of Wonder Man made his debut in 1964's The Avengers #9; “The character otherwise known as Simon Williams is the son of the industrialist Sanford Williams and assumes control of his munitions outfit following his passing, seeing its successes limited when it comes into competition with Tony Stark’s Stark Industries. The younger Williams gains ion-based superpowers, including super strength, while working under the villainous Baron Zemo and establishing himself as an antagonist to the Avengers, though he later decides to become part of that same superhero team.”

No word yet on when Wonder Man might be premiering on Disney+, but it seems unlikely it’ll beat Abdul-Mateen’s other big superhero project to the table: DC’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, currently due out Christmas 2023.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel and Star Wars releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about House of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

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