Disney dealt fans quite a blow when it backtracked on giving us a second season of Wonder Man starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Look, did we need a Wonder Man Season 2? That’s debatable. Did we want one? I sure did. Were we promised one? Yes! You didn’t even need to watch every Marvel movie in order to appreciate and relate to Simon Williams’ story of being forced to keep his true self hidden. I have thoughts, especially about the Emmys of it all, and apparently so does Abdul-Mateen.
How Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Responded To Wonder Man’s Cancellation
The new MCU star took to Instagram on Thursday following the news that Disney had reversed its decision on Wonder Man Season 2. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II seemed to be taking the news better than Simon Williams would have, focusing his message not on the injustice of it all but on thanking the people who supported the Marvel series. He wrote:
Word just dropped that Wonder Man won’t be coming back for Season 2. (And if you don’t knowww, now ya knoww! 😬) That’s life, right? Everything will shake out. I wanted to say thank you to everybody who WATCHED the show, ENJOYED the show, and SHARED that they enjoyed the show in some way or other. The show worked. And that’s my favorite thing about it.
He continued to talk about all the positive feedback he’s gotten since the series became available to stream with a Disney+ subscription, including how Wonder Man encouraged people not to give up (even if it could be triggering to some actors).
Then — alongside a pic of himself nonchalantly sipping his drink — Yahya Abdul-Mateen II concluded his post by saying:
I’m glad we got to be a part of something cool. Thank you for watching… And uhh… See you at the EMMYS. 🫡✌🏾
Oh, because that’s right — Yahya Abdul-Mateen II earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.
Why Is Disney Out Here Canceling Emmy-Nominated Series?
It’s rough when any series gets the axe after just one season, but when your lead actor is Emmy-nominated for the role, it feels even worse. Not only that, but this is the only Primetime Emmy nod (not counting creative awards) that a Marvel series has ever gotten outside of 2021’s WandaVision. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II had high hopes for Simon in Season 2, and I would have loved to see more of his story play out.
Nominees for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series
- Yahya Abdul Mateen II, Wonder Man
- Steve Carell, Rooster
- Matthew Rhys, Widow's Bay
- Jason Segel, Shrinking
- Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building
Now, is it possible for an actor to give an award-worthy performance in a series that’s run its course? Of course it is, but that’s not the case with this MCU offering. Wonder Man was adored by critics and audiences alike (Rotten Tomatoes has it at 91% on the Tomatometer, 87% on the Popcornmeter). Some were even hoping Marvel would take some notes from Wonder Man to apply to its upcoming MCU series.
It also stings that this series wasn’t sold to us as a one-off miniseries. It wasn’t straight-up canceled, either, after its finale wrapped on the 2026 TV schedule. There was a conscious decision made to renew Wonder Man for a second season, and then there was a second conscious decision to go back on that announcement. I guess we’ll see what happens at the Emmys!
Tune in to see if Yahya Abdul-Matten II can take home the trophy when the Emmy Awards air at 8 p.m. ET Monday, September 14 on NBC and streaming with a Peacock subscription.
