Marvel Studios Officially Unveils the MCU’s Tom Cruise

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While Tom Cruise wasn’t in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness despite a lot of talk, Marvel Studios recognizes his status as a major action movie star. Now, they’re saying their new Disney+ character will have a similar level of star power, suggesting they’re aiming for someone with the same blockbuster appeal as Cruise.

In the Winter 2025 issue of Disney’s D23 Magazine, as reported by TopMob, Wonder Man showrunner Andrew Guest described the character Simon Williams as being similar to Tom Cruise. Guest explained that, like Cruise, Wonder Man is known for doing his own stunts and is also a superhero.

“He was this Tom Cruise type who did his own stunts and was also a superperson on the side.”

The upcoming Disney+ series Wonder Man from Marvel Studios is a comedic take on the superhero world, set in Hollywood. It centers around Simon Williams, an actor played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who is trying to land the lead role in a movie about himself. Complicating things is the unpredictable Trevor Slattery, played by Ben Kingsley. Starring Abdul-Mateen II, Kingsley, and Josh Gad, the show will combine familiar Marvel action with a look behind the scenes at the world of fame – a world that actor Tom Cruise knows well.

The new Marvel movie will showcase Wonder Man with actual superpowers, making actor Simon Williams uniquely positioned as both a popular celebrity and a surprisingly powerful hero. He’s confirmed to have abilities like super strength, speed, and the power to generate explosive energy. This creates an interesting conflict, as Williams primarily wants to focus on his acting career instead of fighting crime.

A recent D23 Magazine article revealed Marvel’s interest in a project focused on Trevor Slattery. This idea gained traction after Destin Daniel Cretton worked with Ben Kingsley on Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. The concept then evolved into exploring the world of Hollywood within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, ultimately leading the team to focus on the character Wonder Man, who is closely tied to the film industry.

According to producer Victoria Alonso, Marvel Studios began to consider the idea of combining two separate projects into one. They felt it was time to explore new creative directions for the MCU. As Alonso explained, while they’d ventured to many settings – even outer space – they hadn’t yet tackled a story set in Hollywood.

I remember when Marvel started thinking, ‘Hey, what if we just combined these two ideas into one show?’ It felt like they were really open to trying things they hadn’t before. They’d already tackled so many settings – outer space, for example – but Hollywood? That was totally new territory for them, and I was excited to see what they’d do with it.

It was clear to viewers that Wonder Man was built around the relationship between its two main characters, Simon Williams and Trevor Slattery, giving them equal focus. This “two-hander” approach—where a story centers on the interplay between two leads with different personalities but common goals—has been used successfully on Disney+ shows like WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Hawkeye.

How Super Will Wonder Man Be?

I keep seeing people ask about Tom Cruise showing up, and honestly, the comparison was just a clever way to get our attention! There’s no actual cameo from him, despite his recent win over Marvel’s latest movie. Instead, we have a character inspired by that same kind of incredible movie star power.

The show’s core idea is a bit of a gamble, relying on jokes that those familiar with acting, celebrity culture, and the entertainment business will especially appreciate. This approach was successful earlier this year with Seth Rogen’s show, The Studio, on Apple TV+.

With short episodes and an entire season available at once, the show seems designed to be a quick, funny, and enjoyable experience – it aims to entertain you without taking up too much of your time.

The combination of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Ben Kingsley promises to be a charming and funny center for the story. If everything comes together well, this could be a major success for Marvel. But even if it doesn’t quite work out, the studio isn’t relying on TV shows as much as it did a couple of years ago.

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2025-12-31 12:35