Marvel Studios Removed Ed Harris From ‘Wonder Man’ at the Last Minute

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Marvel Studios made a significant change to its Wonder Man series before it launched on Disney+. While the show, starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and featuring a return by Ben Kingsley, has been well-received, the studio removed a planned appearance by a well-known actor. This change occurred alongside the removal of Josh Gad’s character in Episode 4.

Okay, so the buzz around Wonder Man just got a little more exciting. For a while, everyone’s been whispering that Ed Harris – yes, the fantastic 75-year-old Ed Harris – was in talks to play Neal Saroyan. For those who don’t know the comics, Saroyan is Simon Williams’ agent, and it sounds like Marvel might be bringing that dynamic to the screen. It’s a great potential casting choice, honestly – Harris brings a real weight and gravitas to everything he does, and that feels perfect for a Hollywood agent dealing with a superhero.

Initial reports in 2023 indicated that Harris would be featured prominently. However, the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike caused production to pause in May and not resume until January 2024, potentially changing those original plans.

Harris was cast to play Neal Saroyan, a clever agent who helps Simon navigate the world of Hollywood. Fans of Harris expected him to portray Saroyan as a seasoned, tough agent who would be frustrated by Simon’s focus on artistic vision rather than practicality.

Despite being announced as part of the cast as late as September 2025, the character was ultimately replaced in the final season by Janelle Jackson, who was portrayed by X Mayo as Simon’s new agent.

Even though Janelle sometimes gets frustrated with Simon, she helps him land an audition for the remake of Wonder Man, directed by Von Kovak (Zlatko Burić, who recently appeared in Superman).

You know, thinking about it, I’ve got a theory about Janelle and Neal’s characters. It’s possible they worked together, maybe even at the Hanover Agency, with Harris playing the one in charge.

Interestingly, something similar occurred with The Fantastic Four: First Steps, as another famous actor, John Malkovich, was also removed from that movie.

Harris would have definitely brought even more Hollywood glamour and mystery to the show, building on what was already there with Kingsley’s return and the setting in the heart of the film industry.

I’m really hoping we haven’t seen the last of Harris! The showrunner, Andrew Guest, has already hinted at a possible Season 2, and he’s got a bunch of ideas that could bring Harris back, which is fantastic news. I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

Ed Harris’ Role in the MCU

Okay, so it looks like Harris probably won’t be appearing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after all, which is a shame. But honestly, the character he was going to play? I still think there’s a lot of potential there, and I’m curious to see what Marvel does with them down the line. It’s a bummer about Harris, but the character itself could still have a really interesting story.

In Marvel Comics, Neal Saroyan wasn’t just someone who smoothed things over in Hollywood. He actively took advantage of Simon, putting him in risky situations and orchestrating attention-grabbing events, all to benefit himself.

As the story unfolded, his true nature became clear, showing a hidden, ruthless side with connections to crime and the ability to control others – making him a dangerous wildcard. Even after seemingly dying and coming back to life, he kept looking for ways to gain money and power.

For fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, introducing a complete version of Neal Saroyan (played by Harris) could be a great development in the Wonder Man storyline, particularly since Simon is now using his abilities to free Trevor from DODC custody.

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2026-03-20 14:35