When it was announced that Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Creton would be helming a Marvel Cinematic Universe series for Disney Plus, plenty of fans expected the show to relate to Shang-Chi. Now, it appears Creton’s series will actually be about the comic book character Wonder Man. While few details about the series are available just yet, fans will be able to find a lot of history about the character in the comics.
Wonder Man aka Simon Williams made his comic book debut in 1964 in an issue of Avengers. Initially an antagonist for the superheroes, Simon Williams worked with members of organized crime to keep his family business afloat. He was also the subject of one of Baron Zemo’s experiments, which is how he ended up with superpowers, and an actor and stuntman, making him one of the more famous faces in Marvel Comics to become a superhero. That means the actor cast in the role has to be able to play a hero or villain, as well as have a certain amount of charm to pull off the Marvel version of a Hollywood player. These actors could certainly pull it off.
Matt Bomer
Matt Bomer has a very long resume that encompasses comedy, drama, action, and even musicals. He’s no stranger to the comic book world either as Negative Man in HBO Max’s Doom Patrol. His best-known role might be as con man Neil Caffrey in the crime drama White Collar.
As Caffrey, Bomer was convincing as someone up for breaking the law to get in a little adventure, but also as someone who genuinely wanted to do the right thing to help others. An art thief full of charm who could seemingly play any role, Caffrey allowed Bomer to stretch his acting muscles. He could easily toe the line as a Simon Williams who is both a hero, but someone who loves the attention of their adoring fans. Bomer would make a great addition to the MCU if Wonder Man became a member of the MCU’s Thunderbolts.
JB Tadena
JB Tadena’s resume largely consists of guest spots in crime shows where he plays soldiers or police officers. He’s shown off some impressive physical skills in anime fan videos though, and more recently, he’s recurring on CW’s Kung Fu remake.
Tadena has demonstrated a physicality in his role as a chef with a mysterious background on Kung Fu that would work well in a superhero movie. His playing off of his mystery in the Kung Fu series would be easy enough to translate to a mysterious antagonist in the MCU before making the turn to become a hero. A role like Wonder Man could be Tadena’s big break.
Robbie Amell
Like Bomer, Amell has some experience with superhero roles. Between the short-lived Tomorrow People series, his recurring role as Firestorm in the Arrowverse, and his project Code 8 with cousin Stephen Amell, he’s no stranger to what goes into bringing a superhero property to life.
Amell has also taken on his fair share of comedic roles, like that in the teen rom-com The DUFF, which showcases his charm and comedic timing well. Amell is, however, committed to the Amazon Prime series Upload, which might make committing to a superhero franchise a little difficult for him.
Aldis Hodge
Aldis Hodge is very much a chameleon when it comes to the camera. There is no role he couldn’t play. He got to showcase a variety of skills in the caper series Leverage to prove it. While he played the comic relief in a lot of episodes, his character also had an emotional story arc, tried on a variety of accents when conning criminals, and he showed off some real-life musicianship with his mastery of the violin.
Like Bomer, Tadena, and Amell, Hodge can play charming as easily as breathing, and it would be easy to see him as a businessman turned actor. Like Amell though, he’s also got another big commitment. Hodge will appear as Hawkman in Black Adam, which means he could see more roles in the DCEU in his future as the slate of movies and series shapes up. That could prevent him from joining the MCU.
Glen Powell
Glen Powell is best known for his work in comedies. His charm can be a bit more rakish than the other actors here, but he proved himself a viable romantic lead in Netflix’s Set It Up. Powell is equally adept at flexing his dramatic muscles though, so even if the rumors about Wonder Man being a Hollywood satire aren’t true, he would still be an asset to the show.
Audiences unfamiliar with his work before are getting to see him on the big screen with Tom Cruise and Miles Teller in Top Gun: Maverick. The blockbuster could certainly open a lot of doors for him.
Nathan Fillion
The most obvious choice for Wonder Man, and the oldest of the actors here, is Nathan Fillion. That’s because Fillion already took a turn at playing the character before, but he was cut from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Of course, his role as Simon Williams was simply in movie posters for the fictional actor’s projects.
Fillion has the range and charm to pull off a rogue actor who makes the turn from hero to villain easily. He’s also got a familiarity with the character. Fillion is also a favorite of genre fans thanks to his starring role in the short-lived Firefly series and his frequent collaborations with James Gunn. Whether he fits the role now will largely depend on whether the series is an origin story for a younger Simon Williams, or whether this version of the character will be established as an existing part of the MCU the audience just hasn’t seen yet.
Wonder Man is currently in development for Disney Plus.