James Spader's Marvel Return Report Teases A Huge Ultron Twist
Paul Bettany will soon be returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, reprising his role as the Vision, last seen in "WandaVision," in a new TV series centered around the android hero. The first bit of truly exciting news about the project came a few days ago when it was confirmed that the Vision TV series will also see James Spader return to the MCU as Ultron, the robot archnemesis of the Avengers and the Vision's creator.
Spader last appeared as Ultron in writer/director Joss Whedon's 2015 MCU bow-out, "Avengers: Age of Ultron." (Ultron also showed up in the animated series "What If...?" but was voiced by Marvel's go-to understudy Ross Marquand.)
The movie took some liberties with his character, making Tony Stark Ultron's creator, not Hank Pym, and instilling the villain with his "dad's" snarky sense of humor. Spader's performance, though, was rightfully praised. Ultron and Vision's final scene, where Vision somberly suggests that Ultron is short-sighted for equating impermanence and imperfection? *chef's kiss*
Now, Deadline has added a new wrinkle to Spader's return. Apparently, as they claim, Spader's role will not just be voiceover and motion capture like in "Age of Ultron." The conclusion? Ultron will be shown in a human form, presumably one with Spader's face.
This makes sense narratively and technically. For one, CGI isn't cheap (even when you work VFX houses to the bone like Marvel does). It'll be much easier to just have Spader on set acting as himself, especially if Ultron is going to be a big part of the show as he should. Plus, Ultron's goal back in "Age of Ultron" was all about evolution. He doesn't hate humanity, just our stagnation and flaws. He created the Vision to be his idealized form and it's no coincidence that the Vision looks much more human than Ultron's chrome-plated, jack-o-lantern-faced Terminator body.
Has Ultron ever become human in Marvel Comics?
Comic Ultron is more of a straight-up misanthrope than the movie one. He has no lofty pretensions about evolution, he just wants all of humanity (and his creator most of all) to burn. There have been some stories where he's tried a more human look, though.
In "The Ultron Initiative" ("Mighty Avengers" #1-6 by Brian Michael Bendis and Frank Cho), Ultron takes over Tony Stark's body with nanites. He then reshapes Iron Man's flesh to resemble a chrome-silver naked version of his "mother," Janet Van Dyne/The Wasp. (Yeah, Ultron is one kinky robot). Personally, I wouldn't bet on the "Vision" show adapting this one.
Marvel Comics
In the 2007-2008 crossover event, "Annihilation: Conquest," Ultron takes over alien hive mind the Phalanx, and conquers much of the galaxy. Over the course of the story, he abducts both the High Evolutionary and Adam Warlock. Envying Warlock's perfect form, Ultron forces the Evolutionary to transplant his consciousness into Adam Warlock's body.
Marvel Comics
I'm pretty sure Ultron possessing Warlock inspired how the Vision was created in "Age of Ultron" — the film even has Vision's body born from a "Cradle" a la Warlock's cocoon.
In the 2015 graphic novel "Avengers: Rage of Ultron" by Rick Remender and Jerome Opeña, Ultron is fused with Hank Pym at a molecular level. The book's whole theme is how Ultron is just Hank's dark side personified, so their literally becoming one is the perfect conclusion. Marvel writers agreed; Pym and Ultron stayed together for almost a decade. During this time, Ultron would sometimes be drawn with a two-faced look; half father, half son.
2023's "Avengers Inc." by Al Ewing and Leonard Kirk finally separated Hank and Ultron. Hank slowly disseminated Ultron's consciousness by uploading it, bit by bit, across the minds of other people. At the book's end, the only Ultron left is Ultron Mark-12, aka the one Ultron who turned good; the book ends with the Vision's "Uncle Mark" adopting a human face.
MArvel Comics
I'm not sure if the "Vision" series will adapt any of these exactly, but bringing Ultron (and Spader) back is definitely the right call regardless of what shape that takes.
The "Vision" series is currently scheduled for a 2026 premiere on Disney+.