Marvel Studios’ upcoming Wonder Man series is about to introduce a new hero who has the power to take on any of the Avengers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After some divisive and polarizing instalments during the MCU’s Phases 4 and 5, Marvel Studios seems to be earning back its stellar reputation with Agatha All Along, Thunderbolts*, X-Men ’97, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Ironheart, and more all earning huge praise. Upcoming projects are set to continue this hot streak, including the upcoming Wonder Man series, which is set to premiere on Disney+ on January 27, 2026.
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Developed by Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings’ Destin Daniel Cretton and Hawkeye’s Andrew Guest, Wonder Man will see Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Simon Williams into the MCU. Williams will be auditioning for the role of Wonder Man in an in-universe movie remake of a classic on-screen hero, but he’ll be acquiring his own superpowers in the process. We’ve only seen a glimpse of Simon Williams power so far, but Wonder Man may prove that he is one of the MCU’s most formidable and unmatched new heroes.
Wonder Man Could Be One of the MCU’s Most Powerful New Heroes
While the first official trailer for Wonder Man doesn’t actually show off Simon Williams’ powers at all, we have seen them briefly in a coming soon teaser for Disney+’s future projects from July. His powers in the MCU seem to differ significantly from his power-set in Marvel Comics, where he is seen to be something similar to a super-soldier, albeit an incredibly powerful one. Simon Williams first appeared in Marvel Comics in 1964’s The Avengers #9, where he was experimented by Baron Heinrich Zemo, who transforms him into an ion-powered individual with plans for him to infiltrate the Avengers.
In Marvel Comics, Zemo blasts Simon Williams’ body with chemical and radiation treatments using “ionic” energy, which culminates in Williams gaining enhanced strength, speed, stamina, durability, agility, and reflexes. Zemo’s experiments also used Pym Particles, which made Williams even stronger, gifting him virtual invulnerability, immortality, and enhanced physicality. He gained new abilities over the years after a series of deaths and resurrections, including flight, emitting blasts of ionic energy, changing his size, and even imbuing others with powers at will.
In July’s teaser that briefly showcased Simon Williams’ powers in Wonder Man, we saw him emitting huge amounts of energy – which could be ionic energy. He emitted a shockwave from his body, his eyes glowed red, and he showcased the strength to completely destroy a solid table. Aside from these glimpses, we don’t know much about Wonder Man’s power in the MCU, with the cast even keeping mum on the subject, which hints at some major reveals and wild revelations in the upcoming Phase 6 series.
How Does Wonder Man Compare to the Other Avengers in the MCU?
While Wonder Man’s cast are keeping quiet about the true extent of Simon Williams’ powers in the live-action MCU, with Abdul-Mateen II even going so far as to avoid the question completely – he stated Simon’s power is “his craft” (via Rotten Tomatoes) – Marvel Comics might provide some details. Simon Williams is one of Marvel Comics’ most powerful and unmatched characters thanks to his access to ionic energy and his manipulation of the force to increase his strength and for many other purposes.
After he transformed Simon Williams into Wonder Man in Marvel Comics, Heinrich Zemo suggested that the experiment surpassed his expectations and gave Williams power comparable to that of Thor, the God of Thunder. This would be impressive enough, but even the heroes of Marvel Comics agree, with Captain America noting that Williams has “Sentry-level” strength. He even choked out the Red Hulk at one point in Marvel Comics, proving just how strong and formidable Wonder Man really is, so his MCU debut could change the shape of the franchise.
As a super-soldier, Simon Williams is far stronger than Steve Rogers’ Captain America, and certainly stronger than Sam Wilson’s. He is as strong as Thor, perhaps stronger than the Hulk, and has near-immortality, self-resurrection, energy manipulation, shape-shifting, and teleportation powers, among many others. Should he join the MCU’s Avengers team, Simon Williams would be one of – if not the – most powerful members of the team, with power rivalling that of even Carol Danvers’ Captain Marvel. It’ll be exciting and thrilling to see how he grows and develops in the MCU’s future.
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