‘The Matrix’ Star Confirms Role in Highly Anticipated MCU Series

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Joe Pantoliano, the 74-year-old actor, is now part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe! He’s confirmed he’ll be in the new Disney+ series *Wonder Man*, but he’s keeping the specifics of his character a secret.

Richard Pantoliano shared the news during a *Matrix* cast reunion at New York Comic Con on Sunday. Entertainment Weekly contacted Marvel for comment.

Joe Pantoliano revealed he’ll be appearing in the upcoming Wonder Man series. He said he had a great time working with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who plays Simon Williams, and playfully mentioned how exciting it was to even hear Sir Ben Kingsley say his name.

Pantoliano recounted an amusing story about how director Martin Kingsley referred to him. Though most people know him as “Joey Pants,” Kingsley always called him “Lord Trousers” on set. Pantoliano joked, “I can’t really be Joey anymore—at 74, I’m Joseph Trousers!”

This isn’t the first time Joe Pantoliano has been part of a Marvel project. He previously played Ben Urich in the 2003 *Daredevil* movie with Ben Affleck. It’s currently unknown if he’ll be returning as that same character or portraying someone new in *Wonder Man*.

The show centers on Simon Williams, an actor trying out for the role of Wonder Man in a new version of the story. He becomes friends with Trevor Slattery, played by Ben Kingsley, and the two connect through their passion for acting.

The release of *Wonder Man* has been pushed back from December to January 2026. Producer Kevin Feige explained the decision, saying they didn’t want the show to get lost amongst all the popular holiday movies like *Home Alone*, *Die Hard*, and *Elf*.

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2025-10-14 01:44