James Gunn Sets The Record Straight On Nathan Fillion’s Role In The MCU

Is Nathan Fillion in the MCU? Is he playing Wonder Man? Was there some kind of deleted cameo in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2?

So many questions surrounded Nathan Fillion’s rumored role in the MCU, and the latest Guardians film didn’t help solve the puzzle. Fortunately, director James Gunn has put the debate to rest, once and for all.

On his personal Facebook page, Gunn posted a picture of a fake movie poster used in a deleted Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 scene. It featured Fillion, as actor/superhero Simon Williams, in a film about the life of Tony Stark.

Along with the poster, Gunn shared a long message about Fillion’s role, their friendship, and his future in the MCU.

“As many of you know one of my best friends in the world is Nathan Fillion. Along with Michael Rooker and Gregg Henry he’s been in every movie I’ve directed – even as a monstrous, perverted voice in Guardians of the Galaxy. I didn’t have a good cameo for him in Vol. 2 – and I wanted to bring him more fully into the MCU at some point, so I didn’t want to make him Aakon Guard #2, narrowing his chance of a more substantial role in the future.

“I really do love the character of Simon Williams/Wonder Man in the comics – a sometimes douchey actor/superhero – and could see Nathan clearly in that role (not because he’s a douchebag but because he’s great at playing one). But, of course, in a movie set 99.9% in space I didn’t really have a place for him. So in a small flash to earth I decided to put a theater playing a ‘Simon Williams Film Festival,’ with six Simon Williams movie posters outside. Obviously, from the posters, he’s had a run of B movies. Most of them in themselves are Easter eggs of some sort or another.

“Unfortunately, the small section of the scene where they appeared slowed down the movie and I had to cut the Easter eggs from the film (along with storefronts named after comic book luminaries Starlin, Mantlos, Annett and others). Equally a bummer was that a lot of people took photos of these posters on the day so suddenly every fan site was reporting that Nathan was playing Wonder Man in he movie. He was even the third-billed actor on IMDB!

“So that’s the full story. Nathan’s only cameo in the movie ever were these posters. I’ll post them all over the next few days.

“And, yes, I think we can consider them canon for the MCU, and I hold onto hope that Simon Williams will rise again!!”

If Wonder Man does end up appearing in the MCU down the road, it sounds like Fillion already has the role in the bag.

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