Marvel's Wonder Man Is Canceled, Won't Return for Season 2

Marvel's Wonder Man TV series has been canceled and will not return for its planned second season.

Variety has reported that Marvel has pulled the plug on Wonder Man despite renewing the show for a second season earlier this year. The Disney+ series was hailed as a refreshing new take on the superhero genre when it premiered earlier this year and all signs suggested it would have a bright future at Disney's streamer. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Variety reports that the writers for the show have been released and are now free to find other projects. Despite the renewal, a writer's room for season 2 was never officially formed.

A source told Variety that characters from Wonder Man, however, could appear in other Marvel projects in the future. The reasons for the cancellation are unclear, but it certainly comes as a shock. Series co-creator Destin Daniel Cretton just helmed Spider-Man: Brand New Day which is on track to be a box office titan and has been showered in praise from fans and critics alike. He also helmed the well-respected Shang Chi film and was tapped to direct Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, before it was scrapped in favor of Avengers: Doomsday.

He's a strong talent and it is surprising Marvel would make this move amidst celebrations for his latest project. Cretton is expected to direct a Naruto movie in the near future and Marvel may also want him back for more Spider-Man films, so he may not have had the opportunity to work on Wonder Man Season 2, but it doesn't mean his colleagues can't continue on without him.

Despite its critical praise, Wonder Man didn't exactly dominate the streaming charts with high viewership. But it also was a much smaller scale and grounded show that likely didn't cost many hundreds of millions of dollars to produce. It's possible Wonder Man is a casualty of Disney trying to cut costs, but nevertheless, it's unfortunate that the show won't continue on.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.