- Primary Subject: Wonder Man Possibly Joining the Avengers
- Key Update: All eight episodes of the series premiered today, January 27, 2026, marking the character's official MCU debut as a struggling actor avoiding superhero life.
- Status: Pending
- Last Verified: January 27, 2026
- Quick Answer: While Simon Williams currently chooses acting over heroics, Marvel creators suggest his future with the Avengers depends entirely on fan reception to this debut series.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has officially joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Simon Williams, aka Wonder Man, in the upcoming Disney+ series of the same name. As one of the most powerful characters in Marvel lore, will he join the Avengers?
The Avengers, along with other MCU heroes, are set to face the villainous Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
Amid speculation about Wonder Man’s role in these events, Abdul-Mateen II has finally set the record straight about whether his character will join the Avengers.
Will Wonder Man Join the Avengers?
In Wonder Man, Simon Williams is portrayed as a struggling actor hoping for his long-awaited breakthrough in a fictional modern-day remake of an in-universe cult classic film.
Even though he exists in a world full of superheroes, the producers of the show place one key requirement on Simon: he must never have superpowers.
Despite being a powerful superhero whose abilities originated in childhood, Simon chooses to keep his powers a secret.
This plotline alone makes it clear that Simon has no plans to suit up, rescue people as a superhero, or even join the Avengers on Earth-616. Instead, his focus is on becoming a successful actor.
“Well, that makes me ask the question, 'What does that say about Simon?' You know, it says that he's an artist... He's described as a sensitive soul,” Abdul-Mateen II told The Direct. “I think that's heroic acting... And I think that's what Simon is after.”
Sir Ben Kingsley, reprising his role as Trevor Slattery from Iron Man 3 and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, also weighed in, emphasizing that Wonder Man operates in a context far different from the Avengers – though he doesn’t rule out without the possibility that Simon could one day join Earth’s mightiest heroes.
“The context was: Would you rather be a hero or an actor?” Kingsley said. “As if the two are not interchangeable or can never occupy the same person at the same time. But I believe they can.”
Is There a Chance Wonder Man Will Join the Avengers?
Wonder Man has now dropped all eight of its episodes on Disney+, making it the first Marvel project of 2026, leading up to Avengers: Doomsday in December.
While it’s highly unlikely that Simon Williams will appear in the biggest Marvel crossover movie, it’s not entirely impossible.
There’s still a chance for him to join the multiversal superhero group in the future, depending largely on how fans respond to Wonder Man.
“I think Marvel’s approach to this is to let each project stand on its own, and if an audience connects with it and with the character, then they can figure out how to keep using them,” co-creator Andrew Guest told Comic Book.
“As we just discussed, Trevor Slattery, maybe you thought he would be a one-and-done after Iron Man 3, but Destin (Daniel Cretton) was able to bring him into Shang-Chi and find a whole other side of him,” he continued. “I was so thrilled to get to use that same character again, so hopefully, people fall in love with Simon Williams, and he can continue to live on.”
If fans continue to support Wonder Man and express interest in seeing him join the Avengers, Marvel may very well take notice and make it happen.
Keep it locked on Epicstream, your go-to source for film, TV, and celebrity news!