Finally, Someone Thought to Put Bob Odenkirk in the MCU

Bob Odenkirk is finally joining the MCU, and it only took 29 movies, 8 TV shows, 15 years and $27.6 billion in revenue to make it happen. 

The Illuminerdi has reported that Marvel Studios has tapped the Better Call Saul star to play a “special role” in its upcoming TV series Wonder Man, with Watchmen’s Yahya Abdul-Mateen II set to play the titular character, who is an ionically charged actor and stuntman and a lesser-known villain-turned-hero from the early years of the Avengers comic series. 

Go get that Disney money, Bobby. Maybe use it to buy a third Barracuda — we hear triples is best.

Though Odenkirk’s involvement hasn’t even been officially announced, the speculation about which comic book character he will play in the sprawling MCU has already begun. Marvel has announced that Wonder Man will bring back Ben Kingsley’s character of Trevor Slattery, who first appeared in Iron Man 3 as a drugged-out actor who was tricked into playing the part of The Mandarin, a façade of an international terrorist. That inclusion has led The Illuminerdi to believe that the series will focus on Wonder Man’s acting career, meaning Odenkirk could possibly be playing the part of Neal Saroyan, Wonder Man’s sly, sleazy, secretly psychic agent. 

Wonder Man is a decidedly bottom-tier Avenger in the comics and a confusing choice for the subject of a TV series — the “hero,” originally named Simon Williams, is a failed businessman and struggling actor whose actual heroism is up for debate as he flip-flops from bad guy to good guy and from career to career. But our low expectations for a series with such an esoteric main character has nothing to do with the talent associated with the project, and anything that nets Odenkirk some MCU money is worth making.

Maybe, when Disney finally brings back the X-Men, we'll see David Cross' take on Professor X.