Wonder Man Recasts Daredevil Actor As Himself

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Marvel Studios is bringing back an actor from the 2003 Daredevil movie for a new part in the upcoming Disney+ series Wonder Man. Before Charlie Cox became known as Daredevil in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ben Affleck played the character in a 2003 film made by 20th Century Fox. Affleck’s Daredevil featured Michael Clarke Duncan as Kingpin and Colin Farrell as Bullseye, with Jennifer Garner as Elektra. That earlier film wasn’t well-received, and a sequel never happened, but Garner did return as Elektra in a spin-off movie in 2005.

Joe Pantoliano, a 74-year-old actor, has joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a role in the second episode of Disney+’s Wonder Man, titled “Self-Tape.” This isn’t his first Marvel project – he previously appeared in Daredevil. This new series marks a unique situation for the veteran actor, as he’s now playing a version of himself.

Richard Pantoliano is known for roles in popular shows and movies like Bad Boys, The Matrix, and The Sopranos. However, many Marvel fans will remember him as Ben Ulrich from the 2003 film Daredevil. In the movie, the 74-year-old actor played a reporter who discovers Daredevil’s secret identity but chooses not to reveal it.

As a huge Marvel fan, I was totally blown away by a recent comedy sketch on Disney+! It basically confirmed that actors like Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Cruise, Matthew McConaughey, and Robert De Niro are actually part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It’s wild to think these big names exist within that world!

Interestingly, Joe Pantoliano is one of the few actors who played a fictionalized version of himself in a Marvel Cinematic Universe film. Also, Josh Gad, known for Frozen, left his own lasting impression on the MCU, having a memorable encounter with the character Doorman.

I recently read an interview with Wonder Man showrunner Andrew Guest in Entertainment Weekly, and it was fascinating! He said the part Joey Pants plays wasn’t originally written with him in mind. Apparently, they were looking at a lot of great character actors, and Pantoliano just really impressed them – he really stood out from the crowd!

We had a list of incredibly talented character actors – people who might not be famous, but were deeply loved and respected by everyone at Marvel. Joey really stood out among them, and he was the first person we contacted.

He explained that Joe Pantoliano has a lot of insightful things to share about acting and the entertainment industry, and many of his thoughts were incorporated into the script for Wonder Man.

What I really love about this guy is how much insight he has into acting and the whole world of Hollywood. He’s a published author, and honestly, he could talk for hours about the craft – where his passion for it comes from, and why he even got into this business in the first place. We managed to weave all of that into the script, and it’s honestly amazing to see it all come through.

The character Daredevil officially joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2024 with the release of Deadpool & Wolverine. This film reintroduced both the superhero and Matt Murdock’s love interest, Elektra, played by Jennifer Garner, alongside Ben Affleck’s portrayal of Daredevil.

Though Joe Pantoliano doesn’t have a large role overall in the second episode of Wonder Man, he’s key to the growing connection between Simon Williams (played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) and Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley).

Joe Pantoliano’s Role in Wonder Man Explained

Okay, so this is a funny story. Apparently, Trevor Slattery – you know, the guy from Iron Man 3 – was prepping for an audition, and who does he turn to for help? Joe Pantoliano, his co-star from the old show South Shore Hospital. But get this – their history isn’t exactly warm and fuzzy. Joe actually convinced the showrunner to kill off Trevor’s character, Dr. Jack Kronk, and then he got the lead role! Talk about a power move. It’s wild to think about these actors having that kind of influence, even on a daytime drama like South Shore Hospital. And Joe Pantoliano, of all people – the guy from Daredevil! It just goes to show you never know what goes on behind the scenes.

However, Pantoliano recalls events slightly differently, explaining that the network made the decision to remove Slattery from South Shore Hospital. Before Slattery achieved 13 years of sobriety as shown in Wonder Man, he frequently missed filming and, when present, was heavily intoxicated.

I was completely captivated by the scene where Pantoliano confronts Williams! It’s all about how Williams’ character is treating Slattery, and honestly, it’s infuriating. You really get the sense this version of the actor sees his work as just a way to fund his lavish lifestyle – think a huge mansion in Malibu, a personal chef, and even stealing that chef from Matthew McConaughey! It’s just… disappointing to see acting reduced to that, and Pantoliano clearly feels the same way.

Joey Pants embodies the career Slattery might have achieved without his struggles with drugs and alcohol. This is especially clear in Episode 8, “Yecca Valley,” when Slattery loses his role on Wonder Man after pretending to be the Mandarin to cover for Williams’ behavior on set. The role of Barnaby is then given to Pantoliano, highlighting what Slattery could have been.

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2026-01-28 18:36