According to Deadline, James Spader is all set to make his MCU return as Ultron in the upcoming Disney+ Vision series, led by Paul Bettany. The Boston Legal actor played the popular supervillain in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron. As good as this update sounds, this scenario also threatens the importance of the show’s protagonist, Vision. Some fans believe that including Spader’s Ultron in the show seems like a risky move from Marvel Studios. Here’s why!
Adding a major supervillain like Ultron could take all the focus away from Bettany’s Vision, who has not been seen in his own project since his inception in Age of Ultron (2015). The very existence of Ultron could overshadow the protagonist’s character development and the series’ storyline, potentially making Bettany’s character weaker.
Ultron is undoubtedly one of the most powerful figures in Marvel Comics and has achieved incredible feats in many comic book storylines. Despite all this, Joss Whedon failed to utilise him properly in his 2015 Avengers movie. So, one could say that the Vision series can do Ultron justice. But what if he reaches his full powers in the show? He appeared in What If…? Season 1 in an episode titled “What If… Ultron Won?” In this episode, Ultron not only defeats the Avengers but uses the Infinity Stones to wipe out humanity.
This Ultron was a far more powerful and ruthless version than the one seen in the movies. He was driven by a desire for perfection and saw humanity as a flawed and destructive force. His actions led to a dystopian future where he ruled the universe with an iron fist.
If Ultron gets a pretty well-developed character arc in the Vision series, he could overshadow the protagonist easily. His mere existence could steal all the spotlight from the superhero. Plus, we have to keep in mind that Deadline has also hinted at a rumoured cameo appearance from Elizabeth Olsen as the Scarlet Witch in the forthcoming Disney+ series. A special appearance from Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness is also on the table. The presence of these popular characters could overshadow Paul Bettany in the Vision series. Oh Paul Bettany, you poor thing! Let’s see what happens. Stay tuned for more updates.