According to the star of Marvel’s 2026 WandaVision sequel, the new show will be even more painful and devastating to watch than its predecessor. Both WandaVision and its spiritual sequel, Agatha All Along, delivered more than a handful of painful moments for their leading casts of powerful heroes and villains. However, looking forward, even more heartache and hurt may be in store for fans.
Vision Quest star Paul Bettany addressed the central theme of his new MCU show on Disney+. Recognized as the current longest-running star in the MCU, Bettany’s Vision has been through countless wild storylines over the last 17 years in the Infinity Saga and the Multiverse Saga. While he has not been seen in live-action since 2021's WandaVision, he is on his way to making an epic comeback in what should be an impactful new story on Disney+.
Speaking with Screen Rant's Joe Deckelmeier in a panel at Los Angeles Comic-Con, Bettany described Vision Quest as being about "intergenerational trauma." Teasing the idea of "fathers and sons and denial of pain," the Vision actor gave fans a hint towards how emotional the story will be in his MCU return:
"It's about intergenerational trauma... fathers and sons and denial of pain and denial of your own truth and coming to terms with who and what you are."
Vision Quest is lined up for a release as part of Marvel Studios' Phase 6 slate, focusing on White Vision's quest to rediscover his identity after his encounter with the Hex-based Vision in Westview, New Jersey. The series will feature Paul Bettany, James Spader, Emily Hampshire, Todd Stashwick, T'Nia Miller, and Faran Tahir. Vision Quest is expected to hit Disney+ in 2026.
How Vision Quest Can Outdo WandaVision's Devastation
Like many of the movies and TV shows released in the MCU's Phase 4 slate, one of WandaVision's biggest themes was trauma and pain, which was shown often through its leading characters. Particularly for Wanda, seeing her build her Hex to get her family back and watching her lose everything by the end of the series, that pain drove her to her darkest place yet ahead of her return in 2022's Doctor Strange sequel.
Agatha All Along continued that theme of pain, as Kathryn Hahn's titular character had to deal with the loss of her son (Nicholas Scratch) before meeting her own end in the final episode. While she may have a path to avenging that loss and getting her child back, the themes of loss and pain were prevalent throughout her story.
Looking ahead, while Vision will have to find his true identity and purpose again, it is sure to come with plenty of devastating moments as he revisits his past. From losing Wanda multiple times to reflecting on his experience with his twin sons (at least one of whom will be in this series), Bettany's android will have his fair share of trauma to revisit.
While plot details are still being kept under wraps, Vision Quest is sure to conclude the WandaVision story on Disney+ with plenty of drama, action, and emotion as Vision and his co-stars go back through some of his biggest MCU moments.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
