Wonder Man’s star isn’t letting Disney+ bring him down after the show’s surprise axing. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II shared a heartfelt message on Instagram following the cancellation of his Marvel series.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II says ‘that’s life, right?’ after Disney+ canceled Wonder Man
Disney+ canceled Marvel series Wonder Man following a surprise reversal of its Season 2 renewal, and star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II responded gracefully. The Emmy-nominated actor addressed the news directly on Instagram, writing, “That’s life, right? Everything will shake out.”
Abdul-Mateen thanked the fans who rallied behind the show throughout its run. He expressed gratitude toward everyone who “WATCHED the show, ENJOYED the show, and SHARED that they enjoyed the show.” The actor also revealed he followed along with YouTube reaction videos this time around.
Marvel had initially renewed the Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest series for Season 2 in March. However, a writers’ room for the sophomore season never opened. The studio walked back its decision and axed the show this week instead.
Wonder Man debuted all eight episodes on January 27 and earned strong critical praise. The series holds a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes currently. It drew 618 million minutes viewed during its opening week, according to Nielsen.
Abdul-Mateen starred as Simon Williams, an aspiring actor concealing his superpowers from the world. Ben Kingsley co-starred as Trevor Slattery, reprising his role from previous MCU appearances. The series offered a comedic look behind the curtain of the entertainment industry.
The actor highlighted the personal bonds the show created with its audience. He shared that fans told him the series “reminded some of you not to give up.” Abdul-Mateen also pointed to the “genuine love shared” during real-life encounters with viewers.
Despite the cancellation, Abdul-Mateen closed his message on a confident and upbeat note. He wrote, “I’m glad we got to be a part of something cool.” The actor signed off by teasing his Emmy nomination, adding, “See you at the EMMYS.”
