Marvel Studios has been frequently criticised for how it's handled promoting many of its Disney+ TV series. Last year, Ironheart came and went with little fanfare, and it's become the norm to get a trailer roughly a month before a show's premiere (with only sporadic updates in the weeks that follow).
With Wonder Man, the studio has been pulling out all the stops, and we now have the first clip from the series. In that, Simon Williams can be found auditioning for the "Wonder Man" reboot.
The actor mentions ending up in a "dark and treacherous place," saying he's been to "The Void" and knows what it's like to "live in that screaming silence." This has left many fans convinced that the series is referencing the events of 2024's Thunderbolts* movie.
As we're sure you'll remember, that ended with The Sentry unleashing his inner darkness and trapping New York City's citizens within their worst memories. Could it be that in the remake of "Wonder Man," the title character was among those trapped there?
After watching this sneak peek, we don't believe the dialogue is that literal. Still, a script page shared by Marvel Studios reveals that Simon has replaced the word "hell" with "The Void" for his audition, spawning theories that perhaps Simon was in New York at the time of The Sentry's attack, which is how he gained his powers.
There may be other clues in this clip and the images below, but it won't be until we sit down to watch the series itself that Marvel Studios' plans for this character will become clear.
Watch this new Wonder Man clip in the player below.
Wonder Man is created by Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Spider-Man: Brand New Day) and Andrew Guest (Community, Hawkeye).
The series stars Emmy Award winner Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams and Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley, who reprises his role as Trevor Slattery following appearances in Iron Man 3, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and All Hail the King. Arian Moayed, X Mayo, Zlatko Burić, Olivia Thirlby, and Byron Bowers also feature.
Wonder Man follows aspiring Hollywood actor Simon Williams, who 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."
These two actors, at opposite ends of their careers, doggedly pursue life-changing roles in this film as audiences get a peek behind the curtain of the entertainment industry.
All eight episodes of Wonder Man will stream exclusively on Disney+ at 6pm PT January 27.