Posted in: Disney+, Movies, TV | Tagged: VisionQuest
VisionQuest: Matalas & Bettany on Vision Learning to Be Human & More
VisionQuest’s Terry Matalas & Paul Bettany discuss Vision’s mission in the series, the role that Ultron, EDITH, DUM-E, and U play, and more.
Article Summary
- VisionQuest puts Vision at the center as he faces an identity crisis and searches for who he is beyond his past.
- Paul Bettany says Vision uses AI allies like Ultron, EDITH, DUM-E, and U to process life while avoiding the world.
- Terry Matalas says VisionQuest explores trauma, love, and relationships, making its AI hero feel deeply human.
- Bettany teases a funny, moving VisionQuest with a major Vision-Ultron dynamic at the heart of the story.
After getting their best look yet at the upcoming series during Disney’s D23, and with it set to debut on Disney+ on October 14th, fans are getting additional insights into what Marvel Television and Showrunner Terry Matalas‘ Paul Bettany-starring VisionQuest has to offer. “This is the first time where we get to watch Vision drive the narrative and understand who he is, who he thinks he was. We watch this character go through an identity crisis. It’s kind of the Vision movie, if you will,” Matalas shared with Empire about the show’s focus. During that journey of discovery, Vision will be spending some quality time with some familiar names – Ultron, EDITH, DUM-E, and U – in human-avatar form.
“They’re there to help him,” Bettany reveals. “He is attempting to move about in the world in a small way, and then at night download this data and discuss the things that have happened to him with these different AIs, who have different characteristics and help him understand different qualities and skills. But he is also very much using it as an excuse to keep the world and himself at arm’s length. And of course, events conspire to drag him actually into the world.” Much like WandaVision and Agatha All Along, Matalas sees VisionQuest examining the aspects that make us human. “I think ultimately, what Vision is going through are things that we all go through, and deal with. Trauma, dealing with relationships, dealing with how we react to experiencing love or not experiencing that. It’s strange that a show about an AI is the most human of them all,” he added.
Photo courtesy of Marvel.
Photo courtesy of Marvel.
Photo courtesy of Marvel.
Photo courtesy of Marvel.
Photo courtesy of Marvel.
Photo courtesy of Marvel
Vision, rebooted and having escaped from those who sought to weaponize him, has been in hiding. Searching for new meaning, he consults the AI personas embedded in his programming, including F.R.I.D.A.Y., E.D.I.T.H., J.A.R.V.I.S., and the infamous Ultron. His discreet existence ends when a bounty placed on his head thrusts him on the run with Thomas Shepard, a mysterious boy who may be Vision’s son, reincarnate. As Vision evades capture, he must confront his nature, resist Ultron’s influence, and unravel the enigma that is his young companion if he’s to survive.
Checking in with Josh Horowitz‘s Happy Sad Confused podcast, Bettany called VisionQuest “funny,” “moving,” and “super exciting.” Though it will vibe like the thematic sequel to WandaVision and Agatha All Along, the series will stand as its own work. “It manages to feel very much like it’s somehow a part of that world, an end to a trilogy of sorts, whilst also being very much its own thing, and it is just really good,” Bettany added. “I’m really proud of it.” Bettany also had high praise for Matalas, who he said did “a grand job” with the project, as well as co-star Spader. “He is delicious. He’s so funny in this; it’s so delicious to watch him, and we loved working together,” Bettany said. Though questions remain about what form Spader’s Ultron will take (possibly more than one), Bettany teased that the Vision/Ultron dynamic would be a strong focus. “The story is largely revolved around that relationship, and it’s real fun,” he teased. “It’s fun stuff.”
Along with Bettany, Disney+’s VisionQuest also stars Henry Lewis as D.U.M.-E, Jonathan Sayer as U, James D’Arcy as J.A.R.V.I.S., Orla Brady as F.R.I.D.A.Y., Emily Hampshire as E.D.I.T.H., James Spader as Ultron, and Ruaridh Mollica as Thomas Shepherd. Todd Stashwick (Star Trek: Picard) is set to play an assassin out to capture Vision and his technology, with Matalas confirming that Stashwick is portraying Paladin (Paul Denning/Paul Dennis), a top-level mercenary on the comics side of the Marvel Universe (created by Jim Shooter and Carmine Infantino and first appearing in 1978’s Daredevil #150).
In addition, Faran Tahir is reportedly reprising his role as terrorist leader Raza, head of the 10 Rings, who tried to kill Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) in 2008’s Iron Man. Ruaridh Mollica (HBO’s The Franchise) has been tapped for the series regular role of Tucker, and T’Nia Miller (Netflix’s The Fall of the House of Usher) has been cast in the key role of Jocasta. Lauren Morais (The Red King) and Diane Morgan (Crunk on Earth) have also joined the cast. Morais’s Lisa Molinari reportedly has a close connection with Mollica’s Thomas Shepherd, while Morgan is expected to play an associate of Todd Stashwick‘s Paladin.
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