What To Know
- Disney+’s Wonder Man features real Hollywood locations that add authenticity and depth to the series.
- The show highlights iconic LA spots, integrating them into key scenes and storylines.
- Production designers aimed to celebrate LA’s film and TV community by incorporating both beloved and historic venues.
Disney+’s Wonder Man is more than a mere superhero story. It is also a love letter to the city in which it is set, Los Angeles.
Like other shows that make the most of their Hollywood locale, Wonder Man treats the city as a character in its own right, sending Simon Williams (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) weaving through dive bars, alleyways, studio backlots, and tucked-away neighborhoods. The result is a textured, lived-in portrait of L.A. that gives the series a pulse, allowing both Simon and the city around him to feel like living, breathing characters.
“It was incredible to film in L.A. The city has a history with the film and television industry that doesn’t compare with any other place on Earth,” said production designer Michele Yu, an L.A. resident. “Even in these times where everything feels so uncertain, working on this show was a nice reminder of why we got into this industry. L.A. isn’t just a dream factory, it’s a community — and there’s no community like the film and TV community, no matter what part of town you’re in.”
“The intent, when we were initially pitching our vision for the production design to Marvel, was to pitch our own Hollywood story and how we got here,” said Cindy Chao, production designer and lifelong Angeleno. “What were the local haunts we used to go to? Sadly, some spots don’t exist anymore, but we still wanted to integrate them into our sets and make our Hollywood feel alive in the show.”
For those familiar with Los Angeles, or simply curious about the real locations Simon and Trevor (Ben Kingsley) explore throughout the show, here is a closer look at the iconic spots they visit, the scenes tied to them, and what makes each one special.
Jesse Grant/Getty Images for HBO
Episodes 1 & 6
The beloved Highland Park movie house where Simon and his dad watch the original Wonder Man is part of Vidiots, an independent non-profit video store, cinema, and community hub for film lovers.
The Highland Theater
Episode 1
The now-closed Highland Park theater was the setting of where Simon first meets Trevor during a showing of Midnight Cowboy. The historic theater in Highland Park closed permanently in February 2024, after operating for nearly 100 years.
Marvel
Episode 1
Silver Lake’s most beloved French restaurant is where Simon and Trevor go for a drink following Midnight Cowboy. The restaurant is preparing to close for a multi-year remodeling. On a post on Instagram, the restaurant announced: “After nearly a century of memories, meals, and milestones, Taix Restaurant will close its doors Sunday, March 29th…This is not goodbye, but à bientôt. We look forward to reopening after our rebuild, with hopes of welcoming you back by 2030.”
Marvel
Episode 2
The diner where Trevor meets with Agent Clearly (Arian Moayed) to work on their devilish plan is located in the Adler Hollywood Hotel, right next to the 101 Freeway.
Episode 2
The apartment building is a historic brick residential building on Wilshire that bears the name of silent film actress Norma Talmadge as a gift in 1924 from her husband, 20th Century Pictures founder Joseph Schenck. All interior and exterior shots were shot in the building.
Episode 3
Briefly seen as Simon drives through his hometown of Pacoima, the Danny Trejo mural pays tribute to the favorite son of Los Angeles, whose name not only appears in films, but on taco restaurants and donut stands throughout the city. It is located on Van Nuys Boulevard and Tamarack Avenue in Pacoima.
Episode 4
The Los Angeles club where DeMarr “Doorman” Davis (Byron Bowers) works stands in for the fictional The Wilcox. According to the official site, “refurbished wood paneling from Frank Sinatra‘s previous home and stairway railings salvaged from a Colorado railroad track are just the start of the unique and detailed interior of this beautiful venue.”
Episode 5
A former dive with a fantastic facelife, the bar where Trevor teaches Simon the box breathing exercise to keep him from destroying is the Power House, located across the street from the Chinese Theater on Highland Blvd.
Episode 5
When Trevor and Simon are chasing the bike guy with the GoPro, they follow him into this Koreatown drinking establishment, known for its kitschy tribute to the ’80s and its hidden entrance behind a vending machine.
Marvel
Episode 6
Von Kovak’s Prison of Opulence, where the Wonder Man auditions are held, once belonged to the “If You Think I’m Sexy” singer. A megamansion at the top of Benedict Canyon Drive, the home is currently for sale for a cool $69.9 million.
Episode 7
The Italian restaurant where Simon and Trevor have dinner with Simon’s team is located in the historic Citizen News Building in Hollywood.
Paramount Studios backlot “Old New York” section
Marvel
Episode 7
The studio lot where Simon is being carted around for the production of Wonder Man is filmed on Paramount’s old New York backlot. Notable movies that filmed there include Breakfast at Tiffany’s and The Godfather trilogy.
Episode 8
The Freezee King Burgers stand where Simon’s father has a heart-to-heart with his son is a Fosters Freeze, a historic California-based fast-food chain.
Charley Gallay/Getty Images
Episode 8
Clips from Wonder Man take place in the neo-Mayan mansion designed in 1926 by Lloyd Wright. According to the official site, “there are even suspicions that the house might hold the key to the notoriously unsolved Black Dahlia murder case of 1947.”
Marvel
Episode 8
The premiere of Wonder Man takes place at the celebrated, though currently closed, Westwood Theater near UCLA.
Episode 8
This Joshua Tree staple is where Simon meets Chuck Eastman for “research.”
Wonder Man, Now Streaming, Disney+