Ben Kingsley Set to Return as Trevor Slattery in Marvel’s Wonder Man Series

It looks like Ben Kingsley will once again be returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe role of The Mandarin decoy, Trevor Slattery. Variety reports that the Academy Award-winning actor is slated to return to the role of Trevor in the planned Wonder Man television series for Disney+.

The upcoming series is currently in the works from Marvel Studios. The series will focus on Simon Williams, aka the eponymous Wonder Man. Williams is the son of a wealthy industrialist, whose company goes under due to competition from Stark Industries. He’s later manipulated by Baron Zemo into gaining superpowers to fight against the Avengers. Eventually, after turning against Zemo and nearly dying, Williams would join the team and become a hero instead, becoming one of the Avengers’ most esteemed members. After a death and later resurrection, Williams rejoined the team and also had a whirlwind romance with Scarlet Witch, aka Wanda Maximoff. Williams’ older brother is also the Marvel supervillain, Eric Williams aka The Grim Reaper.

Considering Trevor Slattery’s background as a failed actor, who was recruited by AIM to be a fake version of Wenwu in Iron Man 3, his presence seems to imply the show will be a Hollywood industry satire. At one point in the comics, Simon Williams also became a working actor in the entertainment industry.

How Kingsley is going to factor into the show and the number of episodes he will appear is being kept under wraps. However, he’s reportedly expected to play a “major role” in the upcoming series.

Ben Kingsley will reteam with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director Destin Daniel Cretton, who is serving as executive producer and co-creator, for the series. Slattery reappeared in the aforementioned movie, having been kidnapped from prison by Wenwu, the real Mandarin, and being made a type of court jester for Wenwu’s Ten Rings organization. He later escapes with Wenwu’s children, Shang-Chi and Xialing, helping guide them to their mother’s ancestral homeland, Ta Lo.

Marvel Studios has not yet confirmed or announced the Wonder Man TV series, but with the D23 Expo slated to take place in just a matter of days, it wouldn’t be surprising if the show gets an announcement at the convention. It would join the other expanding slate of MCU shows in the works at Disney+, including Daredevil: Born Again, Ironheart, Armor Wars, and Secret Invasion.