'It's a risk': Wonder Man showrunner says the new Disney+ show is a 'big swing' for Marvel — and could 'alienate' some of the comic giant's hardcore fans
Exclusive: 'You always run the risk of somebody feeling like it's not how they saw this character'
· TechRadarNews By Tom Power published 23 January 2026
Wonder Man stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+) Share Share by:
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- Wonder Man is a "big swing creatively for Marvel", according to its showrunner
- Andrew Guest says it could also "alienate some hardcore fans"
- The next MCU TV show will launch on Disney+ in late January
Wonder Man's showrunner has admitted "there's a chance" that the new Marvel TV show could "alienate some hardcore fans."
In an exclusive interview with TechRadar, Andrew Guest acknowledged that the Disney+ series is a "big swing creatively for Marvel". Guest, who co-created Wonder Man alongside Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi, Spider-Man: Brand New Day) also said it potentially "runs the risk" of disappointing anyone expecting a more traditional live-action program from the comic book giant.
Billed as a half-hour metatextual comedy-drama, the first Marvel project of 2026 tells the tale of Simon Williams. A struggling actor who also secretly possesses superhuman abilities, Williams takes one last shot at the big time when finds out his favorite childhood film – that being, in-universe movie 'Wonder Man' – is being remade by acclaimed director Von Kovak.
Like many Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) productions, Wonder Man is inspired by the titular character's decades-spanning comic book history, but doesn't directly adapt how it plays out on the page. There's the possibility that some Marvel Comics devotees and/or Wonder Man superfans, then, will take exception to his live-action iteration in this Marvel Phase 6 TV show.
So, are Wonder Man's creators and Marvel Studios executives prepared for possible fan backlash when the series premieres on Disney+, aka one of the world's best streaming services?
"That's a good question," Guest replied when I put that question to him. "The series is a big swing creatively for Marvel. There's the chance that it alienates some hardcore fans.
"I think you run that risk no matter what when you're dealing with material that people have some expectations or feelings about, particularly when it comes to the MCU. You always run the risk of somebody feeling like it's not how they saw this character, or it's not what they particularly wanted for this project.
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