Filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton says he is "heartbroken" over Marvel Studios' decision to cancel Disney+ series Wonder Man, admitting he still doesn't understand why the project was shelved despite being renewed for a second season.
Destin, whose latest Marvel film Spider-Man: Brand New Day recently crossed the USD 1 billion mark at the global box office, said both he and Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige were keen to continue the series.
"I love that show to death. If it were up to me, we would be making that show. And I do believe that if - and I know this sounds weird - but if it were up to Kevin, we would be doing that show," Destin told TheWrap.
"And I'm just talking, I don't fully understand the business of streaming, but if the business was right, we would be making that show because I know (Feige) loves that show as much as I do. It's a bummer. I'm heartbroken about it. But I need to fully understand the why," he added.
Based on the Marvel Comics character Simon Williams, Wonder Man follows an aspiring actor played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who gets an opportunity to star in a superhero film while navigating the entertainment industry alongside Trevor Slattery, portrayed by Ben Kingsley.
The series premiered in January and earned Abdul-Mateen an Emmy nomination.
Marvel initially renewed Wonder Man for a second season in March before reversing the decision and cancelling the series last week.
The filmmaker said he could not determine whether the show's viewership justified a continuation because Disney+ does not publicly disclose streaming numbers.
As speculation mounted online that the cancellation could pave the way for a feature film, Destin said the possibility was an "interesting question" but added he had no clarity on the matter.
Andrew Guest, who co-created the series with Destin and served as showrunner, dismissed reports that the cancellation was part of a larger strategy.
"There is no movie in the works," Andrew said, adding that the cancellation "is not a marketing stunt".
He said Disney and Marvel took an internal decision that the series "didn't make sense for them".
"And Destin's schedule-no one's schedule was an issue. Yahya (Abdul-Mateen II), Destin, Sir Ben (Kingsley) and I all loved making this show, all felt passionately about continuing to do it, and were eager to. Contracts were signed, schedules were cleared, writers room was supposed to start this month, production was supposed to begin early next year," Andrew added.
