Marvel’s upcoming Disney+ series, Wonder Man, is making headlines by casting an actor previously known for their work in DC comics movies. While actors have moved between the Marvel and DC universes for years, especially during the height of superhero film popularity, this casting is particularly noteworthy.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s role as Simon Williams in the upcoming Disney+ series Wonder Man is a first: he’s the first actor to play a villain in a DC movie and then a superhero in a Marvel project. He previously played the villain Black Manta in the DC films Aquaman and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. His Aquaman co-star, Jason Momoa, has also become a significant figure in DC’s cinematic universe.
The actor will now star in Marvel’s upcoming Disney+ series, Wonder Man. This role represents a significant shift for him, moving from playing villains in DC films to a heroic character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Over the years, several actors have played roles in both DC and Marvel universes. However, Pedro Pascal has uniquely mirrored a feat recently accomplished by Mateen II. Pascal first played the villain Maxwell Lord in the 2020 film Wonder Woman 1984, and then transitioned to a heroic role as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic in the 2025 film The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The key difference is that Pascal moved into a major Marvel Cinematic Universe film role, while Mateen II is the first to achieve this crossover success within a Marvel Disney+ series.
Created by Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest, the series Wonder Man centers around two actors hoping to land a role in a new movie based on the fictional superhero of the same name. It will premiere on Disney+ on January 27, 2026.
Every Wonder Man Actor Who Has Starred in a Superhero Project
Ben Kingsley
- Iron Man 3, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Ben Kingsley, a well-known face to Marvel fans, is co-starring in Wonder Man with Yahya Mateen II. He first appeared in Iron Man 3 as the Mandarin, but it was later revealed that his character was actually an actor playing the role – a surprising twist for audiences.
It had been eight years since Ben Kingsley played Trevor Slattery in a Marvel Cinematic Universe film, but he returned in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The movie showed that Slattery had been held captive by the true Mandarin, Tony Leung, and his Ten Rings organization. After managing to escape and defeat the Ten Rings, Slattery was released, and the Wonder Man series begins by showing what he’s been up to since.
Arian Moayed
- Spider-Man: No Way Home, Ms Marvel
Arian Moayed, who will appear in the upcoming film Wonder Man, is already familiar to Marvel fans. He’s played the character P. Cleary in two previous MCU projects, first appearing in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). In that film, his character investigated Spider-Man (Peter Parker) and his connection to the events surrounding the Battle of London and Mysterio.
After that, Cleary and the Department of Damage Control (DODC) were brought in to look into Kamala Khan’s powers being used at AvengerCon in New Jersey, as seen in Ms. Marvel.
Zlatko Buric
- Superman (2025)
I recently spotted a familiar face in Wonder Man – Zlatko Buric! It turns out this isn’t his first dive into the superhero world. He previously played the delightfully villainous President of Boravia, Vasil Ghurkos, in James Gunn’s Superman. It’s fun to see an actor popping up in both universes, and he clearly brings a certain something to these roles!
In Wonder Man, Buric plays Von Kovak, the famous director of the Wonder Man remake. Simon and Trevor have to battle to win his approval.
Josh Gad
- The Boys
I was really excited to hear that Josh Gad is joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Wonder Man! Apparently, he’s going to play a version of himself in the series, which is a cool meta move. Details are still pretty scarce, but word on the street is they’re going to be utilizing his amazing singing voice, and I’m already intrigued to see how that plays out.
Prior to his role in Wonder Man, Gad was seen in The Boys, the popular superhero satire on Prime Video, where he played a fictionalized version of himself.
Simon Templeman
- Fantastic Four (1994), The Incredible Hulk (1996)
Simon Templeman, a well-known voice actor, has joined the cast of Wonder Man. He’s famous for voicing Doctor Doom in the 90s animated series of Fantastic Four and The Incredible Hulk. With Robert Downey Jr. now playing Doctor Doom in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s unclear what role Templeman will have in Wonder Man.
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2025-12-19 15:36