Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is all set to take the role of Wonder Man in the upcoming Disney+ series of the same name.
The New Orleans native has had roles in some major films such as Aquaman, The Matrix Resurrections, and Candyman. He is also set to return to his role as Black Manta in the upcoming sequel Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom.
With such complex characters already under his belt, the 36-year-old actor should have no trouble adapting to the familiar role of playing a super-powered human. That said, this will mark Yahya’s debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as his previously played superheroes all fell under the scope of DC.
With the Wonder Man project led by the director of the wildly successful Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Destin Daniel, the series is already off to a good start. Co-producer of Hawkeye, Andrew Guest, will also lend a hand in writing the series.
Earlier this year, the Aquaman star spoke with Vulture about his time in the DCU, which he compared to “clown work,” due to the over-the-top nature of those roles.
“Everything should be about getting to the truth. But sometimes you got to know which movie or genre you’re in,” he explained to the publication. “Something like ‘Aquaman,’ that’s clown work. ‘Aquaman’ is not ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7.’ You have got to get over yourself.”
While Yahya clearly thinks less seriously of his roles in the DCU, when you compare those parts to his incredibly powerful performances in projects like the aforementioned Netflix Original, and even Candyman, it’s understandable why the actor feels this way.
“In order to survive and to do it well, you have to play that game and then be crafty about when you want to surprise the audience, the director, or yourself with a little bit of, ‘Wow, I didn’t expect to see a Chekhovian thing or August Wilson and Aquaman, but I did,’” he continued.
Will you be watching Wonder Man when it comes out on Disney+? Tell us in the comments and check back with HNHH for updates on Yahya’s newest project.
[Via]
