“Well, That’s Ruined My Day”: MCU’s ‘Wonder Man’ Gets Harsh Criticism Over Episode Runtimes
Marvel Studios’ Wonder Man is shaping up to be another massively experimental series and seems to be doing everything right so far, with many already declaring the new 2026 release one of the best MCU projects ever. However, a chink in the armor of the Yahya Abdul-Mateen II-led series if the recently revealed episode runtimes turn out to be accurate.
When it comes to TV shows, from Marvel Studios or otherwise, the length of episodes is often seen as a disappointment if they don’t meet a certain expectation set by shows like Stranger Things and Game of Thrones. However, Wonder Man will not be pushing new boundaries with some lengthy episodes…in fact, it is doing the opposite and drawing a lot of criticism in the process.
According to details revealed by X user @legadodamarvel, Wonder Man will deliver episodes in line with your average sitcom, but one episode’s listed 23-minute runtime (assumed including credits) has drawn some particularly harsh comments online. The full list of reported runtimes are:
• Episode 1 – 32 Minutes
• Episode 2 – 32 Minutes
• Episode 3 – 32 Minutes
• Episode 4 – 30 Minutes
• Episode 5 – 23 Minutes
• Episode 6 – 34 Minutes
• Episode 7 – 33 Minutes
• Episode 8 – 32 Minutes
Wonder Man follows Simon Williams as a struggling actor who is trying to land the lead role in a big-budget reboot of a classic superhero movie. The meta nature of the show has already sparked plenty of interest, but fans are not happy with the idea of all episodes being under 30 minutes once opening and closing credits are taken into account.
“Back in my day, Season 1 had between 20 and 67 episodes! What happened?” one X user commented. Another claimed the series was “dead” to them based on these runtimes, while another unhappy camper fumed, “Well, that’s ruined my day. Also…while we’re here…23 minutes isn’t a f-cking episode…it’s a YouTube short.”
However, there were others who have seen this kind of social media outrage too many times to be surprised.
Currently, these runtimes seem to be legitimate based on the type of show Wonder Man is shaping up to be, and the inclusion of that 23-minute episode. However, they should be considered rumor until confirmed by Marvel Studios somewhere down the line.
‘Wonder Man’ Has Had Some Excellent Early Reviews
Wonder ManDisney+
While Wonder Man will not be released until January, there have been plenty of claims that it is going to challenge the likes of WandaVision and Loki as one of the best MCU projects of the Disney+ era.
Wonder Man was created by Spider-Man: Brand New Day director Destin Daniel Cretton and Hawkeye producer Andew Guest. Along with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, swapping out his former Black Manta role in the DCEU’s Aquaman movies for a new MCU role, Ben Kingsley reprises his role as actor Trevor Slattery from Iron Man 3 and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Demetrius Grosse plays Simon’s brother Eric, better known as the villain Grim Reaper, while Ed Harris is his agent, Neal Saroyan.
Back in September, Daniel Richtman claimed to have spoken to people who had seen the series, and raved about it being “the best ever Marvel Studios series.” Whether that turns out to be true won’t be known for a few months, but reactions to the series’ trailers have been quite positive so far.
All episodes of Wonder Man will drop on Disney+ on January 27, 2026.
Release Date
December, 2025
Network
Disney+
Writers
Andrew Guest
