Ben Affleck’s Daredevil Co-Star Is Officially Joining The MCU For Wonder Man, And I Hope He’s In Every Episode

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe had a packed weekend for TV show announcements, especially at New York Comic-Con. We got exciting news about several upcoming series, including cast reveals for *VisionQuest*, confirmation of a third season for *Daredevil: Born Again*, and the first trailer for *Wonder Man*. Interestingly, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s *Wonder Man* will feature a guest star from the older *Daredevil* series starring Ben Affleck, not the recent version with Charlie Cox.

More On 2003’s Daredevil

I recently watched the 2003 film *Daredevil* and its spin-off, *Elektra*, and I have some thoughts on them. Charlie Cox’s portrayal of Daredevil is noticeably grittier than Ben Affleck’s, but it feels like a fitting direction for the character.

Joe Pantoliano, a consistently excellent actor, has joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe, over two decades after appearing alongside Ben Affleck in the 2003 film *Daredevil*. No matter how people feel about that movie – and they definitely have opinions! – Pantoliano is widely considered a standout performance, as he is in everything he does. He proved this again recently with a brief but memorable appearance in *The Last of Us*, where many consider his performance to be among the best in the entire show.

Interestingly, Joe Pantoliano’s role in *Wonder Man* wasn’t connected to the Marvel comics at all. It actually came about because of a *Matrix* reunion panel at New York Comic Con, where he ran into Laurence Fishburne. Pantoliano revealed the news himself, explaining that…

I’m gonna be in the new Wonder Man series.

He jokingly pretended to reveal secrets about the show and its connection to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, even claiming to spoil the ending of *Avengers: Doomsday*. Of course, that didn’t actually happen – Marvel would never allow that! In reality, he didn’t share any real details about his character, leaving fans free to guess what might happen.

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It’s hard to see how *Wonder Man* can connect Richard Pantoliano’s character to his previous role in *Daredevil*. Unless the show takes a surprising approach like *Deadpool & Wolverine* and introduces characters not typically part of the main Marvel Cinematic Universe storyline – which doesn’t seem likely given its realistic style – it’s difficult to reconcile his appearance with the established continuity. The Netflix *Daredevil* series already established a continuation of the Urich family line with Ben Urich’s niece, so connecting Pantoliano’s character feels complicated. However, knowing Marvel, they’ll probably find a way to explain it all.

Joe Pantoliano spoke highly of his experience working with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, though he didn’t specify how much time they spent together – hopefully it was throughout the entire series! He also mentioned enjoying working with Sir Ben Kingsley, who playfully avoided using Pantoliano’s well-known nickname. According to Pantoliano:

Being called ‘Lord Trousers’ by Sir Ben Kingsley was something special. He never used the nickname ‘Joey Pants’ – he always called me Joseph Trousers. At 74, ‘Joey’ just doesn’t feel right anymore, so it’s Joseph now.

I’ll be really bummed if Ben Kingsley’s character in *Wonder Man* isn’t called Lord Joseph Trousers. He’s so clever, it’s frustrating!

Check out the first trailer for Wonder Man below!

You’ll be able to start watching on Disney+ on January 27, 2026, so practice your audition and make sure you’re dressed to impress – especially your pants!

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2025-10-13 02:39