Marvel's Wonder Man Directly References A Controversial Best Picture Winner, And It's Perfect

This article contains mild spoilers for "Wonder Man."

The new Marvel series "Wonder Man" is a grounded, mature character study that pulls back the curtain on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and, as I noted in my review, taps into one of Marvel's core strengths — that heroes matter most when they feel human first, and super second. It's also deeply relatable to anyone who loves movies. Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) has dedicated his life to acting. Unfortunately, he gets a little carried away with his dedication to the craft, often making shoot days run longer with suggestions for different line reads or blocking, making him a nightmare for productions and costing him work.

But Simon loves movies and is the kind of guy to meet a celebrity and bring up something obscure they did decades ago, rather than the role that made them a household name. It's a subtle character quirk, but one that also lets the audience know that his passion is authentic. He's also the kind of actor who frequents the many repertory theaters around Los Angeles, popping in to watch a film from yesteryear on film, understanding that nothing can replicate the theatrical experience. It's at one of these screenings where he meets Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley), a former struggling British actor hired by Aldrich Killian in "Iron Man 3" to pose as the terrorist leader known as The Mandarin.

Their paths cross during a screening of "Midnight Cowboy," a film that, like "Wonder Man," ends with a bittersweet dream of a brighter future. It's the only X-rated film (equivalent of the current NC-17 rating) to win Best Picture, and indeed the only X-rated film ever to win an Academy Award, making it a wild pull for a show under the Disney umbrella.

Similarly to how "WandaVision" was a love letter to sitcoms, "Wonder Man" appreciates unlikely friendships and dynamic acting duos. Set in New York City and based on James Leo Herlihy's book of the same name, "Midnight Cowboy" explores the unexpected friendship that develops between two hustlers: a naïve sex worker named Joe Buck (Jon Voight) and an indigent, veteran conman named "Ratso" aka Enrico Salvatore "Rico" Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman). The duo join forces in a "business relationship," but over time, it becomes evident that they were destined to find each other. From a thematic standpoint, "Wonder Man" follows the cinematic beats of desperately trying to survive the relentless grind of big city living as shown in "Midnight Cowboy," but through the lens of working actors in Hollywood.

Simon Williams and Trevor Slattery seem to be worlds apart, the former a starry-eyed hopeful and the latter a grizzled veteran desperate for redemption. However, through a mutual love of acting and the cutthroat industry they're forced to navigate, they slowly develop a bromance shaped by an unwavering devotion to the craft and lived experiences that have pushed them into the margins, even if it's revealed that Slattery's original intentions might not have been as pure as the audience would have hoped. Fortunately, "Wonder Man" does not end as tragically as "Midnight Cowboy," so if audiences are worried that the series will conclude with Simon holding Trevor's dead body on a bus, rest easy knowing it's just as satisfying but nowhere near as heartbreaking.

All episodes of "Wonder Man" are available to stream on Disney+.