Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Says WONDER MAN Season 2 Would Have Put Simon’s Fame and Ego to the Test

Wonder Man may be finished at Disney+, but Yahya Abdul-Mateen II already had ideas about what Simon Williams should face next.

Rather than simply giving the character another superhero problem to solve, the actor wanted Season 2 to tackle something much more personal: What happens when Simon finally becomes the star he spent so long trying to be?

Disney+ canceled Wonder Man only four months after renewing the Marvel series for a second season. The decision also arrived shortly after Abdul-Mateen earned an Emmy nomination for his performance as Simon Williams.

Speaking with Vanity Fair about the cancellation, Abdul-Mateen explained that he largely kept himself out of discussions surrounding plans for another season, but he had his own vision for Simon.

The actor “stayed away” from the conversation about the next season, but he said, “I had my hopes and my dreams about where I wanted the character to go for season two.”

Those hopes centered on putting Simon in the position he had been chasing from the beginning. Season 1 introduced him as a struggling Hollywood actor desperate to revive his career while hiding the fact that he possessed superpowers.

Landing the right role could change everything for him, and the remake of Wonder Man offered exactly that opportunity.

For Abdul-Mateen, Season 2 could have explored the complications that come after getting what you want. “What do you do when you finally get everything that you’ve always wanted?”

That would have been a fun direction for Simon because success wouldn't suddenly erase all of his problems. In fact, it could create an entirely new collection of them. Abdul-Mateen saw Simon as someone whose good intentions exist right alongside his desire for attention and recognition.

As he explained, Simon “has a big heart, but he also has an ego. He also wants to be a star.” Watching Simon deal with fame could have opened up plenty of interesting territory for Wonder Man.

The first season was built around a guy trying to break through in Hollywood. Season 2 could have flipped that dynamic by asking whether Simon was actually prepared for the career, attention, and celebrity status he had been fighting to achieve.

There was also his friendship with Trevor Slattery, played by Ben Kingsley. The former actor becomes an important part of Simon's life as the two navigate auditions, rejection, and their attempts to find another shot at Hollywood success.

That relationship gave the series much of its personality and could have evolved considerably once Simon's circumstances changed.

Simon’s big opportunity arrived when acclaimed director Von Kovak began remaking the superhero movie Wonder Man. Simon pursued the lead role while attempting to keep his powers hidden, forcing his acting ambitions and superhuman identity into increasingly uncomfortable proximity.

Unfortunately, viewers won't get to see how Simon would have handled the next stage of his career, at least not through a second season of the show.

According to Abdul-Mateen, he was told the cancellation “had something to do with the viewership numbers.” Disney had already renewed the show, and Abdul-Mateen's Emmy nomination suggested his take on Simon had made an impression even if the audience numbers apparently weren't enough to keep the series alive.

It's a shame Wonder Man won't get the chance to follow through on Simon's story. Taking a character defined by his hunger for success and suddenly giving him everything he wanted could have made for a great second season, especially with his ego, powers, friendships, and Hollywood career all competing for his attention.

Simon Williams finally getting to live like a star might have been where the real trouble started.