Draft:Simon Williams (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

Simon Williams
Marvel Cinematic Universe character
First appearance
Based on
Adapted byAndrew Guest
Portrayed byYahya Abdul-Mateen II
In-universe information
AliasWonder Man
SpeciesHuman

Simon Williams is a fictional character portrayed by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film franchise based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name.

Abdul-Mateen will first appear in the upcoming Disney+ miniseries Wonder Man (2025).

Fictional character biography

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Concept and creation

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Background and development

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Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

Wonder Man debuted in the superhero-team title The Avengers #9 (cover-dated October 1964), and appeared to die in that issue.[1] Four years later, The Avengers #58 (November 1968) revisited the events of #9, explaining that the Avengers had electronically saved Wonder Man's mind in a computer. Wonder Man was not seen again until The Avengers #102 (August 1972), where he made a cameo appearance in a comatose state. Wonder Man's body is revived by the villain Kang in The Avengers #131-132 (January – February 1975), and then again by the Black Talon in The Avengers #152 (October 1976), and finally by the Living Laser in The Avengers Annual #6 (1976). After this last encounter, Wonder Man finally recovers his faculties and joins the Avengers in a full-time capacity in The Avengers #160 (June 1977). Wonder Man and his fellow Avenger the Beast were cast as buddies and lovers of nightlife, which would become a fan-favorite dynamic of The Avengers and continue to be used after the two characters left the series.[2]

Marvel Comics' then-publisher Stan Lee said in 1978, "You know, years ago we brought out Wonder Man, and [DC Comics] sued us because they had Wonder Woman, and... I said okay, I'll discontinue Wonder Man. And all of a sudden they've got Power Girl [after Marvel had introduced Power Man]. Oh, boy. How unfair."[3] Wonder Man later appeared as a founding member of the spin-off West Coast Avengers first in a four-issue miniseries (September – December 1984), and continuing as one of the primary characters in the series' 102-issue run. After that team disbanded, he joined the team Force Works in a series that debuted with a July 1994 cover-date. After that team splintered, Wonder Man rejoined the Avengers in The Avengers vol. 3 #4 (May 1998). After the collapse of the team in The Avengers #503 (December 2004), Wonder Man joined a new splinter group called the Mighty Avengers, co-starred in that team's series, which premiered with March 2007 cover-date.

Wonder Man starred in a self-titled graphic novel in 1986. He then starred in a 29-issue series, Wonder Man (September 1991 – February 1994), which was followed in by the three-issue miniseries Avengers Two: Wonder Man and the Beast (2000). In 2007, he starred in the five-issue miniseries Wonder Man: My Fair Super Hero. Wonder Man appeared sporadically throughout the 2010–2013 Avengers series, but played an important role in the "End Times" storyline in issue #31 (December 2012) through its final issue #34 (January 2013). Comic book writer Rick Remender revealed in an interview that Wonder Man would be a member of the Uncanny Avengers, starting with issue #5.[4]

Casting and appearances

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In October 2022, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II was cast as Simon Williams / Wonder Man.[5] Nathan Fillion appeared on movie posters as Simon Williams in a cut sequence from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017). James Gunn, the director of that film, enjoyed Wonder Man from the comics, and felt Fillion could portray "a sometimes douchey actor/superhero" that the character is, and even though their appearance was cut, he still considered them canon to the MCU.[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Brevoort, Tom; DeFalco, Tom; Manning, Matthew K.; Sanderson, Peter; Wiacek, Win (2017). Marvel Year By Year: A Visual History. DK Publishing. p. 102. ISBN 978-1-4654-5550-5.
  2. ^ Boney, Alex (August 2008). "The Beauty of the Beast: Marvel's First Break-Out Mutant". Back Issue! (29). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 21–22.
  3. ^ "Hello, Culture Lovers: Stan the Man Raps with Marvel Maniacs at James Madison University". The Comics Journal (42): 55. October 1978.
  4. ^ "Remender Expands The Cast Of "Uncanny Avengers"". November 14, 2012.
  5. ^ Grobar, Matt; Andreeva, Nellie (October 31, 2022). "'Wonder Man': Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Tapped To Lead Marvel Series For Disney+". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 31, 2022. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
  6. ^ Crow, David (May 17, 2017). "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2: James Gunn Reveals Cut Nathan Fillion Scene". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on June 17, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
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