Marvel Studios has been making history for two decades. The classic MCU franchise has become the highest-grossing in Hollywood history ($31 billion and counting) and, within the past five years, it has turned its attention to television. Disney Plus continues to produce a multitude of Marvel programming that, through some teething issues early on, has figured out how to thrill fans in the same way that the larger-scale Marvel Cinematic Universe movies do.
As it continues to evolve through the likes of Daredevil: Born Again and animated fare like X-Men '97, the MCU is still making history to this day. The same can be said for its newest series, which will make its presence felt on screens in the very near-future. And with that, fans can enjoy a very different story in a format that Disney Plus doesn't offer up too often.
Marvel confirms binge release for Wonder Man, recreating eight-episode Netflix release formula for the first time
Marvel Studios has officially confirmed in a press release that Wonder Man will be premiering on Disney Plus on January 27, 2026 - and that all eight episodes will be premiering at once. Although not the first binge release that the studio has ever partaken in, it is the first time that a full eight-episode series will premiere all at once, allowing Disney Plus to match Netflix's binge-release format to perfection for the first time ever.
Wonder Man stars Yahya Adbul-Mateen II as Simon Williams, a struggling actor who attempts to land the leading role in the fictional Wonder Man remake. During an era of "superhero fatigue" (due to the fact that the MCU has real-life superheroes), Simon must prove that he has what it takes to be the MCU's next superhero, while also competing with Trevor Slattery in the acting department. Yes, Sir Ben Kingsley is back, reprising his role from Iron Man 3 and Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings.
Marvel has been experimenting with binge releases a little over the past few years and fans aren't quite sure what to make of it. Although Netflix changed the game with the format, Disney Plus often opts for weekly releases instead (like most streamers). However, that all changed when it dropped Hawkeye spinoff Echo all at once. A five-episode miniseries, it released every installment at the same time. At first, fans were sceptical that the studio was trying to move on from it as quick as possible (Marvel has since moved away from miniseries and is instead making more long-term, annual weekly television programs), but it actually worked with Echo as it was a short miniseries. The same could be said for animated outings Eyes of Wakanda and Marvel Zombies, which both released as four-episode binge-watches in 2025.
Eyebrows were again raised when Ironheart - a show that had been delayed for three years despite having completed filming in 2022 - was released in a two-part binge, with six episodes dropping across two weeks. And that has led fans to question whether Marvel was just quickly offloading a project that it had lost faith in. As Wonder Man was commissioned during the previous era of Marvel TV, is the Netflix-style eight-episode binge just another sign of that?
The only live-action Marvel show from the previous era to get a normal recent release was Agatha All Along. The supernatural mystery series led by Kathryn Hahn received critical acclaim, with fans also praising the individuality of each weekly adventure. Marvel TV was able to make a Marvel Studios-designed miniseries work for them during the spooky season and there are still hopes that it could get renewed for a second season given how successful it was. Can the same be said for Wonder Man if the studio is just one-and-done-ing it?
Look, Netflix loves a good eight-episode binge-release and it has enjoyed immense success with it (the early seasons of Stranger Things, anyone?). With the Marvel branding, the positive buzz surrounding the show already, and overall fan intrigue, here's hoping that Wonder Man is able to recreate that success when it receives the same style of release from Disney Plus.