Destin Daniel Cretton Expresses Disappointment Over ‘Wonder Man’ Cancellation
With his latest Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) theatrical outing, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, crossing the $1 billion mark in record time, Destin Daniel Cretton is left in the dark about the sudden cancellation of his Marvel series, Wonder Man. The show, which was co-created by Cretton and Andrew Guest, was canceled by Disney and Marvel just four months after renewing it for Season 2 at Disney+.
Cretton, who is known for his work on the MCU, including Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, expressed his disappointment and confusion over the cancellation in an interview with The Wrap. He stated that he ‘loves that show to death’ and that he would continue to make it if it were up to him. He also mentioned that he believes Marvel’s president, Kevin Feige, would also want to continue the show, as he loves it just as much as Cretton does.
Cretton’s comments come as a surprise to fans of the show, who were eagerly anticipating the second season. The first season of Wonder Man, which launched in January, brought in 618 million minutes viewed in its opening week, making it the No. 8 streaming original for the week of Jan. 26-Feb. 1, according to Nielsen. The show’s viewership skewed older, with 41% of viewing concentrated in the 35-49 age range, more than any other Top 10 title that week.
Despite the show’s initial success, Disney and Marvel decided to cancel it, leaving fans and the show’s creators in the dark about the reasons behind the decision. Cretton’s co-creator and showrunner, Andrew Guest, insisted that there is no movie in the works and that the cancellation is not a marketing stunt. Guest also stated that the decision to cancel the show was made internally by Disney and Marvel, and that it had nothing to do with the show’s creators or their schedules.
Cretton’s latest MCU directorial outing, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, premiered just a day after the cancellation of Wonder Man. The movie’s success at the box office may have contributed to the cancellation of the show, but Cretton has not made any official statements about the reasons behind the decision.
Wonder Man follows the story of Simon Williams (played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), an aspiring actor struggling to get his career off the ground. During a chance meeting with Trevor Slattery (played by Sir Ben Kingsley), an actor whose biggest roles may be well behind him, Simon learns that legendary director Von Kovak is remaking the superhero film Wonder Man. The two actors at opposite ends of their careers doggedly pursue life-changing roles in this film as audiences get a peek behind the curtain of the entertainment industry.
The cancellation of Wonder Man has left fans of the show disappointed and confused. While Cretton and Guest have expressed their disappointment over the cancellation, they have not made any official statements about the reasons behind the decision. The future of the show remains uncertain, but fans are holding onto hope that it may be revived in the future.
