The sudden cancellation of “Wonder Man” remains difficult to explain, even for the filmmaker who co-created the series. Destin Daniel Cretton believes Kevin Feige wanted the Disney+ show to continue, but he still does not understand why its previously announced second season was scrapped.
“I love that show to death. If it were up to me, we would be making that show,” Cretton told TheWrap. “And I do believe that if—and I know this sounds weird—but if it were up to Kevin, we would be doing that show.”
Cretton stopped short of claiming he knew where the decision originated, acknowledging that he does not fully understand how Disney evaluates its streaming projects.
“I’m just talking; I don’t fully understand the business of streaming, but if the business was right, we would be making that show because I know Kevin loves that show as much as I do,” he explained. “It’s a bummer. I’m heartbroken about it. But I need to fully understand the why.”
His comments suggest he is not merely unclear about who canceled “Wonder Man.” Cretton also appears to be waiting for a meaningful breakdown of the show’s ratings, costs, and return on investment that would explain why Disney and Marvel decided it no longer made financial sense.
The remarks follow showrunner Andrew Guest’s attempt to clear up several theories surrounding the cancellation. Guest previously said the reversal was not a marketing stunt, Season 2 was not being converted into a movie, and scheduling issues involving Cretton, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, or Ben Kingsley were not responsible. The writers were preparing to return to work after Disney and Marvel had renewed the show only months earlier.
Cretton’s relationship with Feige has already survived another major Marvel change. Following “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” the filmmaker signed on to direct “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty,” the planned successor to “Avengers: Endgame.”
After Marvel abandoned that version of the film and began developing what became “Avengers: Doomsday,” Cretton was offered the reworked project. He ultimately declined because he could not discover a personal way into the material.
“[I] couldn’t find my way into it. When I told Kevin Feige I didn’t think I was the right fit for that, he mentioned ‘Spidey’ in the room, which was a huge relief to me because I thought he’d be like, ‘OK, see you later,’” Cretton recalled.
That conversation eventually led Cretton to “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” He met with longtime Spider-Man producer Amy Pascal, although the project still did not have a completed screenplay. Five or six months later, Pascal contacted him again and said the producers still wanted him to direct.
Regardless, Cretton remains interested in continuing Simon Williams’ story. He described Abdul-Mateen as “the fucking best” and called Simon “one of the most interesting characters in the MCU.”
Asked whether he would direct a “Wonder Man” movie, Cretton said he would consider it, partly because theatrical releases provide financial results that are much easier to understand than internal streaming measurements. “Because then we can clearly know if it’s a success or not,” he said. “It’s just very clear numbers.”
Cretton does not know what his next Marvel project will be, but he remains open to returning after his experience on “Brand New Day.”
“I loved working with Tom and Zendaya and this entire cast,” he said. “I actually had a pretty great time working with these two studios, with Rothman and Kevin and Amy. They’ve all become like family. Would I be open to doing another movie with this family? Definitely.”
Whether Marvel finds another place for Simon Williams remains unclear. Cretton’s comments do, however, further undermine the idea that Feige personally decided to end “Wonder Man.” For now, even the people who were preparing to make Season 2 are still waiting for a proper explanation.
