Variety has exclusively reported that actor Ben Kingsley is set to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Disney+’s upcoming Wonder Man. The series was first announced this past June and will be directed by Tokyo Vice director, Destin Daniel Cretton.
In the comics, Variety reports Wonder Man as Simon Williams, the son of a family who’s built its wealth on industrial products. Unfortunately, the family’s company begins to suffer as Tony Stark Industries rises. Burned by his circumstances, Williams falls in line with the villain Baron Zemo who endows him with superhuman abilities such as super strength and durability. As Wonder Man, Williams is an enemy of the Avengers for years before joining the right side of history.
Kingsley, whose stalworth career includes Oscar-winning films Gandhi and Schindler’s List, first played the role of Trevor Slattery in Marvel’s Iron Man 3. In the film, Slattery is arrested in a case of stolen identity as he is an actor pretending to be the villain known as The Mandarin. The character appeared again in the short film All Hail the King where Slattery would be released from prison by the real Mandarin. That led to Slattery’s third appearance in last year’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings as a captive of Tony Leung’s international and immortal crime lord, Mandarin.
According to Variety, sources are unaware of how Kingsley’s character will be connected to the story of Wonder Man, but there is chance the series could be a satirical take on Hollywood’s relation to superheroes. The Wonder Man character, given his range of powers, moonlighted as a stuntman and actor for a time in the comics. The character’s older brother, Simon, was referenced as an easter egg in Disney+’s first Marvel series, WandaVision.
Along with directing, Cretton will serve as executive producer with Andrew Guest (Brooklyn-Nine-Nine, 30 Rock) attached as head writer. The series remains in the early stages but could begin filming sometime next year.