There’s a lot for MCU fans to be excited about, with upcoming Marvel movies like Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday headed to the big screen later this year, but you don’t have to wait that long for your next superhero fix. Wonder Man is set to hit the 2026 TV schedule on January 27 with a delightfully meta story about Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) trying to land the lead role in an in-universe Wonder Man remake.
Ben Kingsley co-stars in the eight-episode miniseries, reprising the role of Trevor Slattery, who we first met in Iron Man 3. Critics have gotten their hands on the show ahead of its release, and CinemaBlend’s Nick Venable says Wonder Man is an easy binge that’s funny, satisfying and sticks the landing. In his words:
Few things are as disappointing as a great TV show or movie that drops or flat-out mangles the ball in the final act, which can often be the case in the MCU when character development and any modicum of nuance give way to giant CGI action sequences and an abundance of destruction. That's not at all the case with Wonder Man, though, which delivers a season finale that not only shares the same level of quality as the rest of the episodes, but also wraps things up satisfactorily, and doesn't overstep its scale.
Falling under the “Marvel Spotlight” banner, CinemaBlend’s critic and others point out that you don’t have to have seen every MCU movie in order to follow Simon Williams’ story. So while Tasha Robinson of Polygon thinks die-hard fans might not fully buy into the scaled-down, character-driven series, she says Wonder Man is one of the best shows Marvel has put out. The critic writes:
There is no villain in Wonder Man. There are no big, explosive fight scenes. Wonder Man does not save the world, join the Avengers, explore the multiverse, or head to space. But that’s exactly what makes Wonder Man one of the most compelling, purely enjoyable shows in Marvel Studios’ roster. It isn’t aimed at same-old same-old hero-villain clashes, or at teeing up the next saga. Co-creators Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest … offer up the rarest thing in the Marvel playbook: a story that’s unique, personal, character-focused, and designed to stand on its own.
Aidan Kelley of Collider rates the upcoming MCU series 9 out of 10, and he is confident it will appeal to hardcore MCU fans, as well as those unenthused by the superhero genre or who are suffering superhero fatigue. Kelley calls Wonder Man “a truly phenomenal start for Marvel's ambitious 2026 slate,” and says:
The lack of big stunts never even registers because of how compelling these characters and their stories are, especially with top-notch editing and directing in all the installments. The show overall finds an excellent balance between earnest satirical humor and genuinely tragic circumstances. If anything, the plot's one fault is perhaps a bit too much of a reliance on one character withholding the truth from another, but the rest of the series' elements more than make up for it and will undoubtedly leave viewers begging for a Season 2.
Amon Warmann of Empire gives it 4 stars out of 5, writing that Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley make this one of the best shows in the MCU to date. In Warmann’s words:
More than just the laughs, it’s the sincerity of Simon and Trevor’s respective journeys — both individually and as a duo — that sticks with you. And the genuine friendship that blossoms between them is delightful, with scenes where the pair are simply bonding over their favourite lines and acting experiences being some of the purest and sweetest in the entire MCU. In fact, the one time that Simon does flex his powers in a fight, it actually feels a little out of place.
BJ Colangelo of SlashFilm rates Wonder Man 7.5 out of 10, calling it the antithesis of the MCU’s typical multiverse-hopping adventures for how it brings humanity to its superhumans. The series gives the critic hope for Marvel’s future, because while Colangelo was barely familiar with this character before, Simon Williams became an instant favorite. The review explains:
It's because the best heroes in life are the ones that are equal parts aspirational and relatable; the ones that inspire us not because they can save the world with a snap of their fingers, but because they struggle, doubt themselves, and still try to do the right thing. These are the characters who make us feel like heroism isn't some unreachable ideal, but something rooted in everyday choices. By telling more intimate stories like Wonder Man, Marvel taps back into that core strength — reminding us that heroes matter most when they feel human first, and super second.
It’s not just the above critics who are enjoying Wonder Man. The MCU show has accumulated 94% on Rotten Tomatoes from 31 reviews so far. So if you’re ready to dive into this series — even if you have no knowledge of the MCU at all — all eight episodes will be available to stream with a Disney+ subscription on Tuesday, January 27.
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