Nathan Fillion Once Played A Marvel Superhero Who Now Has His Own Show
Nathan Fillion stands out as a beloved actor in geek circles, showcasing his genre bona fides through the television series "Firefly" and "Castle," among others. In particular, he is a notable alumnus of both Marvel and DC, portraying multiple characters in both major comic book universes. What may surprise fans is that Fillion previously portrayed Simon Williams, aka Wonder Man, who currently has his own MCU television series.
The MCU's official Simon Williams/Wonder Man is currently played by Emmy winner Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who is set to reprise the role in "Wonder Man" Season 2. But years prior to Abdul-Mateen taking on the mantle in his own standalone series, Fillion played a version of the character in a deleted Easter egg from "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," in which he is depicted in a film poster for an in-universe biopic on Tony Stark, with Fillion's Simon Williams bringing the genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist to life à la Danny Boyle's "Steve Jobs." Nathan Fillion also voiced Wonder Man in "Marvel's M.O.D.O.K."
What both Wonder Man actors have in common
Although the MCU's official Simon Williams is portrayed by Yahya Abdul-Mateen, he and Fillion share a surprising thing in common: Both actors have taken part in both Marvel and DC adaptations. Along with his deleted Easter egg and his voice role in "Marvel's M.O.D.O.K.," Fillion appears in the other "Guardians of the Galaxy" films as different characters. Fillion's most recent Marvel credit is thanks to his voice cameo in "Deadpool & Wolverine" as Headpool, a disembodied flying head variant of Ryan Reynolds' Merc with a Mouth.
As for DC Comics adaptations, Fillion voices the western-themed hero Greg Saunders, aka Vigilante, in "Justice League Unlimited." He portrays Green Lantern Corps member Guy Gardner in the current DCU, making his debut in "Superman" and reprising his role in the television series "Peacemaker" and the upcoming "Lanterns" on HBO. Abdul-Mateen had an acclaimed turn in HBO's "Watchmen," garnering him his first Emmy win. He also portrays the primary "Aquaman" antagonist, David Kane/Black Manta in the now-defunct DC Extended Universe.
In the age of the multiverse, it would be quite fun to see Fillion reprise his role as his own variant of Wonder Man coming into contact with Abdul-Mateen's established version, now that viewers have a sense of the MCU's plans for the character. Given that the actors boast different styles of acting in their approaches to the character, seeing them clash would be a sight to behold.