Ultron standing on a balcony with Vision in the background in VisionQuest

VisionQuest star James Spader says playing Ultron in the new Marvel TV show was ‘even more interesting’ than what he had to do in Avengers: Age of Ultron — and I can see why | Daily Reports Online

ByDaily Report October 13, 2026

James Spader has teased what fans can expect from Ultron in VisionQuest
It’ll reunite us with the genocidal android 12 years after his last MCU appearance
The Marvel TV show allows Spader to further explore the fan-favorite villain

VisionQuest actor James Spader has opened up on the “older and more mature” Ultron we’ll see in the new Marvel TV show — and the “inherent danger” he still poses.

Speaking exclusively to TechRadar at the series’ UK junket, Spader teased how Ultron has evolved since his sole appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), which came in 2014’s Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Back then, fans believed they’d seen the last of the genocidal android because — spoilers for a 12-year-old movie incoming — Ultron was destroyed. However, over a decade on from his apparent demise at Vision’s hands, Ultron has returned, with a back-up copy of his source code retained by Vision in his mind — or, rather, his quantum processor.

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Fans will see Ultron in human avatar form throughout VisionQuest (Image credit: Marvel Television/Disney+)

In the years that have followed, Ultron has been able to observe humanity and events in the MCU through Vision’s eyes.

And, with Vision turning inward as he seeks answers to questions like “who am I?” and “what is my purpose?” in his self-titled Disney+ show, Ultron will be one of the many Tony Stark-created AIs that Vision will look to for guidance. So, what kind of Ultron should we expect to encounter in the final installment of Marvel’s Wanda/Vision TV trilogy?

“When you play any character, you fill out that individual, even if there isn’t the real estate to be able to express aspects of them that you want to,” Spader told me. “But, they’re still in your head, so to suddenly be able to revisit Ultron, who I played in fits and starts, and fill in those blanks in the longer-form medium of television, was even more interesting than when I first took on the role 12 years ago.

“The character has become more of itself, and Ultron has certainly evolved. He’s more acute, more developed, and he’s older and more mature. He can still be quite childish, but he’s not quite as sophomoric as he was in Age of Ultron. His humor is more witty, and he’s certainly smarter than before.

“But, I also think the inherent danger and threat that was so blatantly there in Age of Ultron is still present,” Spader added of Ultron’s presence in the Marvel Phase 6 project. “All of that knowledge he consumed like junk food as a bratty teenager in Age of Ultron, a lot of that has been absorbed and processed. And, in that attic inside Vision’s head, he’s been given an odd amount of autonomy and freedom for someone who one must be careful with. So, you’ll see all of that plays out in these eight episodes.”

Ready to watch VisionQuest? Before it arrives, check out my VisionQuest review of all eight episodes (don’t worry, it doesn’t contain any major spoilers). Afterwards, find out when every chapter will drop on Disney+ using my VisionQuest release schedule guide.