Every Movie and TV Show Referenced in Wonder Man That Stars MCU Actors

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has never shied away from referencing real movies and TV shows. In the early days this wasn’t much of a problem, as it became a shorthand for the MCU to not only make it seem like it was taking place within our world (like the pages of Marvel comics have done for years), but also to offer a wink to the audience. Captain America: The Winter Soldier, referencing Star Wars, Star Trek, and Rocky, offered a good joke for the moment and character, but when thinking about these references too hard, they revealed a problem: MCU stars are also in those projects.

It’s no surprise that Wonder Man, a series set against the backdrop of living and working in Hollywood, makes reference to real TV shows and movies. What’s especially interesting about some of these is how many of them actually star an actor or two (or three or four) that also have notable roles in the larger MCU, including the actors found in Wonder Man themselves. This is a testament to the longevity and extensive pool of talent in the larger MCU, though, not one of being self-referential, after all, who wouldn’t want to lay claim to all of this talent as well?

12) American Horror Story

The first real show referenced in Wonder Man is none other than American Horror Story, the long-running Ryan Murphy genre show. In the series, Simon Williams has secured a small role in the show, one that is only one scene long, only for him to take it a bit too seriously and get cut from the show. Of course, for longtime fans of both AHS and the MCU, the series has long featured MAJOR Marvel actors, including Evan Peters (Fox’s Quicksilver, but the MCU’s Ralph Boehner), but also Angela Bassett (Queen Ramonda from the Black Panther movies).

11) Castle Rock

Simon Williams makes a note of excellent episodes of Castle Rock that the director he’s talking to had a hand in. As fans of the short-lived Stephen King series know, there are some surprising Marvel faces to be found in the show, though they may not be immediately obvious. Season 1 of the series includes Bill Skarsgård as one of its most important characters, as Marvel fans know, he voiced Kro in Eternals. There are more notable connections, though, with Scott Glenn starring as Alan Pangborn in the show, having previously made a splash in the MCU as Daredevil’s mentor, Stick. Castle Rock has one more though, with Season 2 starring Lizzy Caplan as Annie Wilkes, whose Marvel role in the short-film “Item 47” has largely been forgotten, but which became the blueprint for Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD.

10) Sons of Anarchy

Simon Williams also makes a note of the director’s episodes of Sons of Anarchy being the best of the series. Though not as many familiar faces, the FX hit does have some Marvel characters present, including Kenneth Choi (Captain America: The First Avenger, Spider-Man: Homecoming), Jamie McShane (who played Agent Jackson in Thor and The Avengers), Walton Goggins (Ant-Man and the Wasp), and Theo Rossi (Marvel’s Luke Cage).

9) Twilight 

In Simon’s one scene of American Horror Story, he’s set to share the screen with Ashley Green, playing herself, and he makes a note of her work in Twilight. Though a Twilight reference in the DCU might break things moreso, it popping up in the MCU is just as interesting for two appearances. The first is Chaske Spencer, who starred as Sam Uley in Twilight and stars in Marvel’s Echo (AND Marvel’s Jessica Jones). The second is Lee Pace, who played Garrett in Breaking Dawn – Part 2 and has appeared as Ronan the Accuser in the MCU multiple times.

8) Igby Goes Down

While preparing for an audition, Simon Williams calls out the Kieran Culkin-starring film as a comparison point for the movie he’s trying to book a part in. Though filled to the brim with recognizable faces that aren’t a part of the MCU, the 2002 movie does star none other than the Grandmaster himself, Jeff Goldblum.

7) The Only Living Boy in New York

Another touchstone for the film Simon is auditioning for is The Only Living Boy in New York, the 2017 movie that includes none other than Jeff Bridges in its cast. Though perhaps easy to forget as he was the MCU’s first super villain, Bridges was a key character in the MCU almost twenty years ago when he took on the role of Obidiah Stane in Iron Man. One could perhaps argue that Jeff Bridges can still exist as an actor in the MCU while also playing one of its characters since his look as Stane was so distinct from how he traditionally appears.

6) Ben Kingsley’s Filmography

A quick shorthand that Wonder Man makes to establish Trevor Slattery as a longtime actor is by switching things up with regard to Sir Ben Kingsley’s own filmography and projects. The series makes sure to note four specific things that Kingsley starred in early in his career that, now, apparently, in the MCU, actually starred Trevor Slattery. They include the feature films Turtle Diary and Pascali’s Island, plus The Velvet Glove and UK TV stalwart Coronation Street. It’s of course worth noting that these two movies were part of Kingsley’s career AFTER he won the Academy Award for playing Gandhi. There is no mention in the series of Slattery having said role, or winning said honor.

5) My Cousin Vinny

Among the video tapes in Trevor’s apartment that make it clear he took many roles that Sir Ben Kingsley had in his career, is also a tape that has, for perhaps no reason, My Cousin Vinny. As fans will recall, the movie netted none other than Marisa Tomei the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, which she took home 23 years before making her MCU debut as Aunt May in Captain America: Civil War (which she reprised across the three Spider-Man solo films and even Avengers: Endgame).

5) Oscar and Lucinda

Another tape on Trevor’s shelf, though again it’s unclear why, is 1997’s Oscar and Lucinda. It fits in with the other period dramas in his collection, but with a major MCU connection as the titular Lucinda is played by none other than Hela herself, Cate Blanchett.

4) The Matrix

Perhaps the only reference in Wonder Man that rivals American Horror Story in its larger MCU complications is when Simon and Trevor pay a visit to his old friend, Joe Pantoliano. Simon is quick to mention how much he loves his work in The Matrix, a film that, as fans know, features major MCU stars, including Laurence Fishburne (Bill Foster in Ant-Man and the Wasp), Carrie-Anne Moss (Jeri Hogarth in Jessica Jones and Daredevil), plus Hugo Weaving (Red Skull in Captain America: The First Avenger). Even more complicating than that is the fact that Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Wonder Man himself, starred in 2021’s The Matrix Resurrections. One could perhaps argue that maybe the Matrix sequels don’t exist in the MCU, but that doesn’t make this one tough to wrap your head around.

3) Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief

Seen in the background of Joe Pantoliano’s home (fitting, since he had a role in the film), it’s worth pointing out this one also includes Ray Winstone as Ares (before he starred in Black Widow) and Rosario Dawson as Persephone, ahead of her time as Claire Temple across all of the Defenders TV shows.

2) The Rookie

Wonder Man reveals that an explosion on the set of the hit TV show The Rookie is what put Simon Williams on The Department of Damage Control’s radar, there’s just one problem though, the series stars Nathan Fillion, who has already appeared in the MCU as two different characters in Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, in addition to voicing a Deadpool variant in Deadpool & Wolverine. Furthermore, Seth Green, the voice of Howard the Duck in the MCU, has also appeared on the show.

If you want this one to really bake your noodle, though, it’s worth pointing out that Fillion also had a role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which was cut out of the film and is technically not canon. In that sequel, Fillion was set to play…Simon Williams, aka Wonder Man.

1) Severance

In the penultimate episode of Wonder Man, Simon meets up with his ex-girlfriend, Vivian (Olivia Thirlby), where she reveals she’s booked a role on Severance. One might think that the hit Apple TV+ series is free from MCU references, but it’s another minefield. Among the cast of the Emmy-winning show are Zach Cherry, who appears in both Spider-Man: Homecoming and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings; Michael Chernus, who also appeared in Spider-Man: Homecoming; and Tramell Tillman, who is set to appear in the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day in an undisclosed role.

All 4 MCU Shows Releasing After Wonder Man