After more than a decade in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Paul Bettany still isn’t ready to leave Vision behind. In fact, the actor says he would happily continue playing the synthezoid for as long as Marvel can find new ways to evolve him—something Bettany believes showrunner Terry Matalas has accomplished with the upcoming Disney+ series “VisionQuest.”
“For Vision, the stories have always felt new and fresh and like they’re evolving the whole time,” Bettany said during Marvel Studios’ D23 presentation. “And I would love to keep doing that for as long as there are new stories evolving.”
That enthusiasm appears to come from how far “VisionQuest” departs from Vision’s previous MCU appearances. Bettany described the series as one of Marvel’s more unconventional projects and praised Matalas (“Star Trek: Picard”) for embracing its stranger possibilities.
“This one is so weird and out of left field that it was such a pleasure to make,” Bettany said. “I’m really excited for people to see it.”
“I think the fans are going to really get excited,” he added. “The show’s fantastic. It’s a big swing, and I think that Marvel always gets rewarded when it takes big swings. Terry Matalas, our showrunner, has done an amazing job.”
The series follows the White Vision last seen departing Westview at the end of “WandaVision.” Although Wanda’s recreated Vision unlocked the android’s suppressed memories before their confrontation ended, Bettany explained that White Vision still cannot connect those experiences to the emotions that originally gave them meaning.
“The way you find Vision at the beginning of this show is where we left him, which is he’s been given his memories by Red Vision, but he can’t attach any emotion to those memories,” Bettany said. “And so this is the first time you’re entirely in Vision’s point of view, and you literally get to see what it’s like inside Vision’s mind, which is super fun.”
That emotional disconnect sends Vision into an existential crisis about whether possessing another being’s memories makes him the same person—or simply a new consciousness carrying someone else’s history.
“It’s been an enormous joy playing the Vision as he’s evolved over the years,” Bettany told the D23 crowd. “But this Vision is beginning to ask rather more complicated questions. What—or perhaps who—is he exactly?”
James Spader also returns as Ultron, reprising his role from 2015’s “Avengers: Age Of Ultron.” Spader jokingly suggested that Marvel should have resurrected the rogue artificial intelligence much sooner.
“Frankly, I can’t believe it took you so long to turn to me,” Spader said. “Everyone knows Ultron has long been fascinated with humanity.”
Bettany also teased the unexpected chemistry between the two artificial beings, calling Spader’s character “the delicious Ultron” and describing their relationship as “hilarious” both on and offscreen.
“VisionQuest” premieres October 14 exclusively on Disney+. Watch the D23 conversation below.
