Bob Odenkirk Addresses Marvel Casting Rumors

Bob Odenkirk is speaking out about rumors that he might be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In a recent interview with The Independent, Odenkirk was asked about the possibility of him joining a superhero franchise. This comes after Odenkirk, whose work includes Better Call Saul and Nobody, has been rumored to be portraying Neal Saroyan, the agent of Simon Williams / Wonder Man (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). It has since been rumored that Westworld‘s Ed Harris might be playing the role. As Odenkirk put it in the interview, he might not be best suited for the superhero space.

“I always like to keep things grounded, relatable and smaller. I don’t think I’m built for that world,” Odenkirk explained. “I’m built for characters that make you feel like that guy could live next door.”

What is Marvel’s Wonder Man show about?

Created by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Don Heck in 1964’s Avengers #9, Wonder Man was a villain-turned-hero with a variety of super powers, including iconic energy manipulation, teleportation, and strength. The character is possibly best known for being a founding member of the West Coast Avengers, which lead to him working as an actor and stuntman in Hollywood. 

The series will star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams / Wonder Man, Demetrius Grosse as Grim Reaper, Lauren Glazier in a currently-unknown role, and Ben Kingsley as Trevor Slattery. The series will be directed by The Spectacular Now and Shrinking‘s James Ponsoldt, The Photograph‘s Stella Meghie, and Avengers: The Kang Dynasty‘s Destin Daniel Cretton, who is directing and executive producing the show through his first-look deal with Marvel.

Has Wonder Man appeared in the MCU?

Wonder Man was briefly poised to cameo in 2017’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, with writer-director James Gunn casting Nathan Fillion in the role. Fillion’s Wonder Man was supposed to briefly appear in a series of in-universe movie posters during a sequence set on Earth, but it was ultimately cut from the film.

“[Wonder Man will] be definitely influenced by the comics. One of the things that we’re excited about it is that it’s going to feel very unique. It’s not going to feel like anything you’ve quite seen in the MCU before,” Broussard shared. “And the kind of stories we can tell on Disney+, which has been fun. Like streaming, serialized storytelling is a totally different muscle. So, we’re having a blast making that one.”

Would you want to see Bob Odenkirk join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or some other superhero role? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!