The MCU's 2026 WandaVision sequel will be a major game-changer in terms of the villain it features. WandaVision kicked off an incredibly successful story for Marvel Studios in 2021, giving Wanda Maximoff and Vision a chance to shine after the end of the Infinity Saga. As the WandaVision trilogy moves into its final stages, it is taking steps on the villain front that should have fans thrilled for what’s next.
Marvel Television's upcoming VisionQuest series will bring back James Spader to reprise his role as Ultron. This will be Spader’s first time playing the role since his original MCU debut in 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron. The only other time Ultron has appeared in the MCU was in the animated What If...? series, where he was played by Ross Marquand, but that takes place in an alternate reality away from Earth-616.
This marks the first time Marvel Studios has shown a willingness to revisit a villain introduced as an Avengers-level threat, using a new lens. This time, instead of going up against the entire team of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, he will get a one-on-one encounter with Paul Bettany's Vision in his return to the MCU.
Similarly, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars are about to feature Robert Downey Jr. as Victor von Doom, marking his MCU debut. Playing a role expected to be as big as what Josh Brolin's Thanos had in the Infinity Saga, he is likely set to become the most powerful villain in MCU history.
He may also be revisited in the MCU's next saga, which is likely to include a second solo movie for the Fantastic Four. This film could bring back Doom in a similar way, on a smaller scale, focusing more closely on the classic relationship he has with Reed Richards in the comics.
The MCU has already done this in reverse, introducing Tom Hiddleston's Loki in 2011's Thor before making him the ultimate villain against the Avengers in 2012's The Avengers. The franchise attempted this again by introducing Jonathan Majors' Kang the Conqueror as a villain in the first two seasons of Loki on Disney+. He would have been the main villain in the fifth Avengers movie (formerly titled Avengers: The Kang Dynasty), but Majors was fired after facing legal trouble.
VisionQuest will debut on Disney+ later in 2026 as part of the Phase 6 slate. Bringing back Paul Bettany as Vision alongside James Spader, James D'Arcy, Todd Stashwick, T'Nia Miller, and Faran Tahir, the show will pick up after White Vision's exit from Westview, as he goes on a journey to regain the original Vision's memories and find his place in the world.
What To Expect From Ultron in VisionQuest
Ultron will get a brand-new twist in the upcoming VisionQuest series, as the story will show James Spader in human form for the first time alongside Paul Bettany's Vision. This is also expected to be the case for most of the other AI-based characters in the series, giving fans a new look at these heroes, unlike anything the MCU has ever done before.
Plot details were only teased minimally in the first privately-released trailer for VisionQuest, which showed Vision in some kind of simulation inside his own head. Spader's Ultron is also heard saying, "You’re a ghost haunting her footsteps" before finishing with a quick shot of Ruaridh Mollica's Thomas Shepherd (WandaVision's Tommy Maximoff) appearing in a CCTV recording.
Looking forward, fans continue to wait for more information on what this series will entail for the MCU, including a more specific release timeframe. However, with Ultron on his way back and plenty of drama confirmed to ensue, anticipation is building to see a rematch that has been over a decade in the making.
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.
