Not only is Robert Downey Jr. returning to the MCU, it’s revealed James Spader will be back as none other than Ultron in the upcoming Disney+ Vision series starring Paul Bettany.
That’s not all, as adding to the intrigue, Deadline adds James Spader’s role in Vision may not be a voiceover.
Spader did do the mo-cap for Ultron in The Avengers 2 which was released nearly ten years ago in 2015, so maybe Spader will be back in the mo-cap suit to play the character. Or maybe somehow we’ll see James Spader in his human form?
Last we saw of Ultron was in Avengers: Age of Ultron when Vision destroyed Ultron’s last remaining body. The two were having a conversation about humanity, with Vision being more sympathetic to the humans, while Ultron was more in contempt.
In their final moments, Vision and Ultron engage in a philosophical conversation that reflects their contrasting views on humanity. Vision expresses sympathy and admiration for humans, appreciating the beauty in their imperfections and their transient nature.
In contrast, Ultron, filled with contempt, sees humanity’s flaws as weaknesses and believes that they are doomed to fail.
The conversation between the two highlights the core differences between the two characters—Vision’s belief in the value of life, even in its imperfection, versus Ultron’s cold, calculated disdain for anything he deems flawed.
As Vision tells Ultron that it’s a privilege to live among humans, Ultron retorts that Vision is “unbearably naive.” Vision responds with, “Well, I was born yesterday.” This prompts Ultron to attack, but Vision uses the Mind Stone to destroy Ultron in a powerful flash of white and yellow light.
As for how James Spader could return as Ultron, one possibility is that a fragment of Ultron’s tech survived and eventually resurrected itself. Alternatively, Ultron might have been absorbed into Vision. When Thanos killed Vision or when Scarlet Witch later brought Vision back, this could have also resurrected or freed Ultron.
Deadline adds, there is also the possibility that Elizabeth Olsen could return as Scarlet Witch.
The last time we saw Vision was at the end of WandaVision.
Scarlet Witch had recreated him as her husband and the father of her children within her magical reality. Meanwhile, SWORD reassembled Vision’s original dead body to create a new White Vision with the intention of neutralizing Wanda’s creation. In the finale, the two Visions engaged in a battle but eventually reached a mutual understanding. Wanda’s Vision transferred his memories to White Vision, who then recognized himself as the true Vision and flew away, leaving his future uncertain.
The Vision series is also said to center on The Vision (Bettany) trying to regain his memory and humanity.
The details include Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas will serve as showrunner on the new Vision series who is also known for MacGyver and 12 Monkeys. Reportedly, Feige liked the Picard series so much he wanted to get Matalas for Vision. It has also been said the series will be released in 2026.
Watch the clip:
