Marvel Television
This post contains minor spoilers for “Wonder Man.”
Marvel TV is in something of a period of transition. After releasing streaming shows that were deeply connected to the main cinematic narrative of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for a handful of years (like “WandaVision”), Marvel’s current goal is to make TV series that can more or less stand on their own. Enter the well-received “Wonder Man,” which is more of a character study focused on the actor Simon Williams (as played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) rather than a superhero epic. It also features a very real actor in the form of Josh Gad (“Frozen,” “Pixels”) playing a heightened version of himself.
Gad, however, had one major condition when it came to signing up for a role in “Wonder Man.” In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, the actor explained that he was willing to play himself in the show only if it wouldn’t eliminate him from another role in the MCU in the future. Here’s what he had to say about it:
“I said to [Marvel Studios head] Kevin Feige … as long as I get to still play a character down the road in the MCU that isn’t Josh Gad, I’m happy to do this. He said yes, so it was like, ‘Let’s buckle up and go on this weird journey together.'”
Gad appears in “Wonder Man” episode 4 and pokes fun at himself. It features him remixing a song from “Frozen” and even having an entourage. In the same interview Gad praised series co-creator Destin Daniel Cretton (“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”) and showrunner Andrew Guest as “they leaned into the absurdity” of creating this “bats***” version of the actor, which isn’t at all like the real one, so far as we know.
Who else could Josh Gad play in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
Marvel Television
Mind you, Josh Gad isn’t the first actor to play himself in the MCU. In fact, Kevin Bacon was a similarly good sport when he showed up in the “Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” a few years ago. Still, it’s a relatively small list, and Gad’s role was pretty unique, even aside from the heightened element of it all.
Ultimately, Gad wound up interacting a lot with DeMarr “Doorman” Davis (Byron Bowers) in “Wonder Man.” Without getting into major spoiler territory, Gad attempts to wander through Doorman and winds up trapped. So, what of his fate? Speaking to Geek Tyrant, Andrew Guest confirmed that Gad is alive in the MCU, though he’s in a bizarre situation:
“Josh Gad is alive and inside Doorman currently. If we get a season 2, my promise is to get Josh Gad out of Door Man, and back into the world.”
“It has occurred to me that maybe Josh Gad would have Doorman powers, after having been inside him for so long,” Guest added. “Maybe Josh Gad becomes the new Doorman!”
Whether or not Marvel Studios actually pulls the trigger on “Wonder Man” season 2 remains to be seen. It’s equally unclear if Gad would want to play a different version of Doorman or another character entirely. Either way, Kevin Feige and everyone at Marvel knows Gad is interested in another role down the line.
“Wonder Man” is streaming now on Disney+.