Marvel Studios has already proven just how terrifying White Vision can be in the MCU, suggesting Paul Bettany could be returning as a powerful villain in Marvel’s upcoming Vision Quest series. White Vision’s whereabouts have been uncertain since WandaVision’s finale in 2021, which saw his memories restored by the Vision created by the Scarlet Witch in the Westview Hex, spurring him to fly off to locations unknown. Marvel will finally reveal what White Vision has been up to in 2026’s Vision Quest series, which has Star Trek: Picard’s Terry Matalas as showrunner.
Vision Quest will be the second WandaVision spinoff to be produced by Marvel Studios, after Agatha All Along, but will be the first not developed by Jac Schaeffer. Even so, with Paul Bettany reprising his titular role, and James Spader and Faran Tahir confirmed to be returning from previous MCU projects, Vision Quest is gearing up to be just as successful as its predecessors. The series could, however, twist Bettany’s long-running MCU hero into a formidable supervillain, and Marvel Studios has already revealed how shocking and terrifying this would be.
What If…? Revealed How Powerful White Vision Could Be As A Villain
White Vision Was Almost Unstoppable In What If…? Season 3
White Vision returned in What If…? season 3, episode 5, “What If… the Emergence Destroyed the Earth?” However, this variant of White Vision was far from a hero, but had instead fallen under the control of Quentin Beck’s Mysterio, who ruled over the ruptured Earth with an iron fist. Before he was shut down and assimilated by Riri Williams, White Vision proved himself to be a supreme opponent to the forces of the Alliance, even going so far as to wipe out Riri’s friends, Wong, Ying-Nan, Okoye and Valkyrie. This proves just how dangerous White Vision can be.
In this reality in What If…? season 3, White Vision acted as the Commander of the Iron Federation, a legion of old Stark drones that had come under Mysterio’s control thanks to his use of the nanites. This reminded us of Vision’s origins as a creation of Tony Stark in the MCU, which could prove important in Marvel Studios’ live-action Vision Quest series. The idea of White Vision returning to the MCU as a villain, however, just like he was depicted in What If…?, creates the opportunity for some terrifying events to unfold in Phase 6.
Ultron’s Return Potentially Makes White Vision A Danger In Vision Quest
James Spader Is Returning To The MCU After A Decade
James Spader debuted in the MCU to voice the tyrannical artificial intelligence Ultron in 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, but, since then, Ultron’s subsequent appearances have seen him be voiced by The Walking Dead and X-Men ’97 star Ross Marquand. James Spader was confirmed to be reprising the role of Ultron in Vision Quest back in August 2024, however, suggesting the robot will have a major role in the series. Ultron being brought back could highlight White Vision’s more evil origins as a body for the artificial intelligence.
Ultron’s MCU Project | Year | Actor |
|---|---|---|
Avengers: Age of Ultron | 2015 | James Spader |
What If…? | 2021-24 | Ross Marquand |
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | 2022 | Ross Marquand |
Vision Quest | 2026 | James Spader |
Ultron began to build Vision’s body as a vibranium vessel for his own consciousness in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but Tony Stark, Bruce Banner and Thor placed the JARVIS artificial intelligence inside the body instead. A fraction of Ultron does live inside Vision, however, and this could become a dominant piece of White Vision’s persona in Vision Quest, perhaps forging the former hero into a haunting supervillain. White Vision returning as a villain would twist Tony Stark’s intention when creating Vision, finally bringing his worst nightmare to fruition in the MCU.
White Vision’s Conflict Could Mean Iron Man’s Nightmare Comes True
Tony Stark Continues To Have An Impact On The MCU
Throughout his superhero career in the MCU’s Infinity Saga, Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark worried about one thing more than anything else: his technology falling into the wrong hands. He stopped Obadiah Stane from stealing his original design in Iron Man, took on Whiplash and humiliated Justin Hammer in Iron Man 2, dealt with his own work on Extremis in Iron Man 3, and took down Ultron, a villain of his own creation, in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Vision Quest could continue this storyline, even seven years after Tony Stark’s Avengers: Endgame sacrifice.
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White Vision was rebuilt by SWORD in WandaVision, proving that Tony Stark’s technology has already been taken and corrupted by people meaning to do wrong. Tony Stark created several villains for himself and the Avengers during his MCU career, and White Vision could be the latest, which would continue to prove Iron Man’s impact and prominence, but also highlight his misguided-ness. Since both Paul Bettany and Robert Downey Jr. are returning to the MCU in 2026, this could be an exciting dynamic to explore, so Vision Quest transforming White Vision into a villain would be brilliant.
Vision Quest
- Showrunner
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Terry Matalas
- Writers
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Terry Matalas