“No one’s ever really gone,” Luke Skywalker said in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” He was referring to, of course, legacy and memory and how those who have passed will always live on in our hearts. But he might as well have been talking about deaths in the Marvel universe, which never seem final. Case in point: Marvel’s “Vision Quest” series (a tentative title for now) is bringing back another character from the dead: the villain Ultron.
Fall 2024 TV Preview: 40 Must-See Series To Watch
THR reports that James Spader, who initially voiced Ultron in “Avengers: Age Of Ultron,” will return in the upcoming ‘Vision’ series, which will star Paul Bettany as everyone’s favorite Marvel android. It’s an intriguing tease, especially if you remember that Ultron created the Vision character in that Joss Whedon-directed ‘Avengers’ movie.
Vision, of course, died in “Avengers: Infinity War” at the hands of Thanos but was resurrected twice in the series “WandaVision”: once as an ephemeral character that could only exist in Wanda Maximoff’s witch spell, and once as the entity known as White Vision—a robotic creation that the organization S.W.O.R.D put together from Vision’s body parts.
At the end of “WandaVision,” while Vision “died” again, White Vision, initially an antagonist, was confronted with a paradox and a question of humanity that made him rethink his S.W.O.R.D. objectives (killing the other Vision) and disappear to places unknown.
“Vision Quest,” or whatever it’s finally called, will be a “WandaVision” spin-off that picks up where and what White Vision has been up to.
Terry Matalas, the well-regarded showrunner of “Star Trek: Picard,” is leading the series and presumably will write a few episodes as well.
“Vision Quest” is seemingly becoming closer to reality with Spader’s recasting. THR says the new series hopes to begin production in England in early 2025.
While no release dates have been slotted, “Vision Quest” is clearly a 2026 show, likely along with “Wonder Man” featuring ‘Matrix 4’ star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. Disney has seemingly cut back Marvel production and will only release two live-action shows annually. 2025 is already spoken for with “Daredevil: Born Again” and “Ironheart.”
More “Vision Quest” casting should probably be revealed soon.