Newly Released Statistics Point to Why Disney+ Canceled Marvel's WONDER MAN Series Despite Solid Reviews

This summer, it was announced that the Marvel series Wonder Man would not be returning to Disney+ for a second season despite the show’s stellar reviews.

Fans were bummed, right along with the series creators and stars who were equally surprised about the news, especially since fans and critics gave the first season rave reviews. But a new report seems to point to the reason why the studio made this odd choice.

According to Luminate Data (via SuperHeroHype), the Yahya Abdul-Mateen II-led show performed fairly well in terms of raw viewership, but it appeared somewhat lower compared to other most-streamed Disney+ series in 2026.

The Marvel show ranks fourth after Daredevil, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and The Mandalorian. The show’s retention rate, a measure of initial viewers who completed the season, shows a 48% drop-off from premiere to finale.

This means that only 52% of viewers who started watching Wonder Man made it to the finale. To add to this, a retention rate of 53% or higher is considered “safe from cancellation,” according to a Luminate analysis of streaming original slates.

I get that someone has to do the math, but I don’t agree that in this day of streaming and a vast number of shows to watch, this is the exact right metric. I think that people don’t watch shows immediately as they come out, as we have the luxury of getting around to shows when we have the opportunity.

And as far as retention, it’s the same excuse. There’s not a lot of urgency, and people get busy. If the reviews are as good as they were for Wonder Man, I think the audience will find it. I have never thought that shows get enough of a chance to thrive, but this case feels worse than normal.

Hopefully the character Simon Williams will be able to return in the MCU and get a chance to further his story. Until then, season 1 is available to stream on Disney+.