The Marvel Cinematic Universe has a huge hit on its hands with Wonder Man, and few people could have seen it coming. Wonder Man changes a lot in the origin of the Marvel Comics character, who initially debuted in The Avengers as a reluctant villain and eventual hero. However, the early trailers showed that this was not a typical MCU release, wasn’t so much about superheroes battling villains, and was instead a meta look at comic book movie fatigue using one of Marvel Comics’ most notable in-world actors. However, when Marvel dropped every episode at once, it seemed it had given up on the new MCU series.
Instead, Wonder Man is a global success story for Marvel. According to FlixPatrol, Wonder Man is the most-watched TV show on Disney+ right now in the world, ahead of Ryan Murphy’s The Beauty, and way ahead of the number three show, Tell Me Lies. However, that is only part of the story.
Wonder Man hit the top of the charts in 69 different territories, with a viewership score of 773. That is higher than any other series except for Bridgerton (913) on Netflix and three Apple TV series – Hijack (975), Shrinking (887), and Tehran (817). Comparatively, Paramount+’s best-ranked TV show is South Park, which is only at 279. The critically acclaimed The Pitt is only at 633.
Wonder Man Has a Surprising Rotten Tomatoes Score
Image Courtesy of Marvel
Not only is Wonder Man getting a ton of attention from viewers, but it has a fantastic critics’ score as well. Critics praised the series, certifying it Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes at 90%. While its audience score is not certified Hot, it does have a high 89% score. What likely makes it so accessible for the massive viewing numbers it is getting is that it doesn’t require a strong knowledge of recent MCU storylines.
Wonder Man thrives thanks to the chemistry between the stars – Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Simon Williams and Ben Kingsley returning as Trevor Slattery. Critics praised the bromance between the two actors, while the show also offers low stakes and delivers one of the best MCU series to hit Disney+. Most of the bad reviews from critics and fans are based on it not being a typical superhero movie, but that is what makes it so great. The MCU did something different and succeeded on every level.
Wonder Man also opens the door for future storylines, introducing things like the Roxxon Corporation and revealing that there is still fear and, oftentimes, hatred for superheroes, which should lead to the introduction of the X-Men in the MCU and the Champions’ arrival in Phase 7 on Disney+. However, Wonder Man doesn’t need to worry about the future MCU projects. Instead, this is the kind of thing Marvel needs to do with its Disney+ shows, and the viewing numbers prove it is a successful template.
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