Key Takeaways
- Yahya Abdul-Mateen II addressed Disney and Marvel for shelving Black-led projects, describing the optics as “obvious.”
- He noted that “Wonder Man” had strong viewership and critical acclaim, and suggested its cancellation deserves a deeper examination.
- These cancellations prompt broader conversations about Hollywood’s commitment to representation and the challenges facing Black-led projects in the industry.
Marvel’s repeated habit of shelving Black-led projects is frustrating, to put it mildly, whether we’re talking the long-delayed Blade reboot that was set to star Mahershala Ali, “Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur” being canceled after two seasons, or Monica Rambeau seemingly being sidelined after The Marvels’ box office flop.
On Thursday (Aug. 20), Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who plays the titular character in Disney+’s recently axed “Wonder Man,” said the optics surrounding Marvel's support for “more Black and inclusive stories” are “obvious.” Speaking with Vanity Fair, he explained, “If I’m a big business, if I’m Disney, if I’m Marvel, I don’t want to be attached to these optics.”
“So, it should be a priority to change that narrative and to do what it takes to responsibly change that narrative with quality stories, with quality resources,” he continued, adding that “Wonder Man” deserves a closer look considering it had “all of the ingredients” to keep going.
“I felt that our show did have [a] quality story, did have quality resources, did have quality actors and people, and did produce quality results that the viewers responded to positively, that the voters responded to positively,” Abdul-Mateen II argued. “So, our show does deserve some study and some real, hard information about why a show like this did not continue forward.”
Why was “Wonder Man” canceled? Yahya Abdul-Mateen II points to viewership
In July, Abdul-Mateen II confirmed that “Wonder Man” unfortunately wouldn’t be returning for a second season, despite the show earning him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. “That’s life, right? Everything will shake out,” he wrote at the time, also thanking all of the viewers and content creators who supported the series.
The reason behind the cancellation, he later explained, “had something to do with the viewership numbers.” While Disney never gave him the exact total — though Variety noted that “Wonder Man” still landed on Nielsen’s streaming Top 10 during its debut week — the actor added, “Ultimately, for whatever reason it was, I think they decided that it didn’t make sense for business, and that’s the decision that we live with and we keep on marching forward.”
REVOLT was fortunate enough to chat with Sir Ben Kingsley and Abdul-Mateen II after the show’s premiere, with the latter offering some advice for anyone who may not have landed the role of their dreams. “Keep on going. Those are the breaks. You’ll be alright,” the Candyman star shared.