‘Wonder Man’ Gets Near-Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Scores for the MCU’s “Best” Superhero Series
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has come in for some heavy criticism in the last few years, not least for its Disney+ shows. However, it looks like the new meta offering, Wonder Man, could be breaking the trend of same-old big set-piece shows that all seem to reach the same final act – as it is taking aim at exactly that kind of thing and is reaping the rewards with a massive Rotten Tomatoes debut.
Recently, Hollywood has started to point out its many flaws, inconsistencies, and the general ridiculousness of the industry with shows like The Studio and The Franchise. Now, it is the turn of Marvel Studios to turn the camera lens on itself and the movie making business some call “show.”
Starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Sir Ben Kingsley, Wonder Man finds the former playing Simon Williams, an actor looking to get himself into a big movie role in the rebirth of Wonder Man. However, this is not your average superhero origin story, and its alternate direction to almost every other MCU show has paid off massively as the show has landed a 96% Tomatometer score ahead of its upcoming release on Jan. 27.
“By ditching standard tropes for something more character focused, the MCU manages to swerve superhero fatigue with this extremely meta standalone treat,” says Matt Maytum’s revirw for NME, while Collider’s Aiden Kelley says that it doesn’t matter if “you’re a hardcore MCU fan or have never watched a superhero movie in your life, Wonder Man is one of those rare experiences that appeals to both sides, and marks a truly phenomenal start for Marvel’s ambitious 2026 slate.”
Above all, Wonder Man’s exceptional reviews all say the same thing. In ditching the usual action-heavy set-pieces and focusing on a good story told through great characters, it subverts all expectations to deliver one of the best things Marvel Studios has produced in years.
‘Wonder Man’ Can Kick-Start a Huge Year for the MCU
When it was first announced, no one was really sure what to think of Wonder Man. Now, it is clear that keeping some mystery around the true intentions of the series was a great call, and the interest in the show is sure to peak with the kind of immensely positive reviews that have not always been abundant for Marvel Studios since Avengers: Endgame. Whether the sentiment is felt by audiences is something we will need to wait a few more days to find out.
If Wonder Man does become a huge hit on Disney+, it will be a great start to the MCU’s year, which is set to deliver some of the most anticipated projects of the decade on both the big and small screen. On Disney+, these include the second season of Daredevil: Born Again, which is already hyping up fans with the promised return of Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones, and Jon Bernthal’s The Punisher special. Meanwhile, Bernthal will also be back for Spider-Man: Brand New Day in the summer, when he will appear alongside Tom Holland’s returning web-slinger and Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner/Hulk, as well as franchise newcomer Sadie Sink in a yet-to-be-confirmed role.
Of course, all of this, and whatever other releases hit Disney+ throughout the year, such as X-Men ’97, all leads to one moment – the arrival of Avengers: Doomsday in December. As the first Avengers movie since Endgame, the ensemble film has already been hyped by four short clips released in cinemas over December 2025 and January 2026, which teased many characters, including Chris Evans reprising his role as Steve Rogers, and several original X-Men characters coming back into the fold for one last battle.
The future of the franchise looked to be balanced on the success of its tentpole movies in 2026 and 2027, but Wonder Man could be a huge boost if it delivers for as much as it has for audiences. Who knows, it could even land Marvel Studios some awards by this time next year.
Release Date
January 27, 2026
Network
Disney+
Writers
Andrew Guest
