The first season of Marvel’s Wonder Man has officially concluded on Disney+, leaving fans with a finale that was less about capes and more about the price of Hollywood fame. While the show ended with a high-stakes prison break, creators Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest have revealed that Simon Williams and Trevor Slattery almost had a very different—and much more theatrical—send-off.
The Alternate Ending: A “Levitating” Theater Performance?
In an exclusive breakdown with Entertainment Weekly, showrunner Andrew Guest shared that an alternate version of the finale existed. In this version, the “meta” nature of the show was dialed up to eleven.
Instead of the explosive prison escape, the original plan saw Simon and Trevor performing an experimental play together in a small “black box” theater. As the performance reached its climax, the two characters were meant to literally levitate off the stage.
“We knew it was all about these two narcissists who, for the first time in their lives, put someone else before themselves,” Guest explained. “In the end, we went with the more emotional ‘rom-com’ sacrifice, but the theater version was a beautiful, weird alternative.”
The Official Ending: A “Rom-Com” Sacrifice
The version that made it to our screens saw Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley) take the fall for Simon’s (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) accidental destruction of a movie set. By reprising his infamous “Mandarin” persona, Trevor gave Simon the chance to become a superstar.
However, Simon ultimately chose friendship over fame, breaking Trevor out of a DODC maximum-security prison and revealing his powers—including flight—to the world.
Is ‘Wonder Man’ Season 2 Happening?
While Disney+ has not officially renewed the series yet, the “Marvel Spotlight” project has been a massive critical hit, currently sitting at a 93% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Marvel Studios executive Brad Winderbaum recently hinted that a second season is “on the table” if viewership remains strong. Creator Destin Daniel Cretton is already brainstorming, stating:
“I don’t think any of us wants the show to suddenly turn into a more typical superhero show. We’ve discussed ways to keep that unique, melancholy tone for Season 2.”
What to Expect in the Future
Star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is eager to explore the “aftermath” of Simon’s fame. Now that Simon is a fugitive and a revealed super-powered individual, his dream of a simple acting career is over. Meanwhile, Ben Kingsley teased that for Trevor Slattery, we should always “expect the unexpected.”
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