Marvel's Vision Series Just Took A Big Step Forward, And I Hope Paul Bettany Gets The A+ Comic Story WandaVision Didn't Deliver
As we keep rolling through the lineup of upcoming Marvel TV shows, the future of the MCU’s streaming ecosystem continues to be in flux. As whispers of projects being secretly cancelled continue to swirl, and with Agatha All Along now on its fifth title, mysteries abound in this land where we used to have a good grip on what was coming next.
Paul Bettany’s Vision Quest series seems to be the latest target of such unpredictable forces, with a huge step forward being taken in development. While this seems to be changing what we previously heard about the project, it does have me hoping that one A+ comic story that WandaVision never delivered will finally be adapted.
Vision Quest Looks To Have Lost Its Title, But Gained A Showrunner
Back in 2022, it was reported that the previously titled Vision Quest had assembled a writer’s room, and was moving forward with WandaVision creator Jac Schaeffer serving as head writer. However, in news broken by Variety, the series is now untitled, but still starring Paul Bettany as the Avengers alum at the heart of it all. And now we know that an unspecified 2026 window is being considered for release, with none other than Star Trek: Picard’s Terry Matalas as its showrunner.
With a new showrunner, and the lack of its previous title that hinted we’d be seeing the Vision Quest arc from the West Coast Avengers books, the future seems pretty open. And that potential isn’t lost on me, as the story I was really hoping to see brought to life in WandaVision is prime material that could become the next Marvel hit on Disney+!
I Really Want To See Tom King’s Vision Series Adapted For Disney+
Upon revealing the existence of what we came to know as WandaVision, one of the presumed arcs that seemed prime for inspiration was the 12-issue run of writer Tom King’s Vision. Showing Paul Bettany’s AI turned cybernetic entity now constructing and living with the perfect family, all sorts of complications and misfortunes befell Vis throughout this arc.
While it’s naturally unlikely that this will be a 1:1 replay of what happened in those books, the foundation is there for the series formerly known as Vision Quest to innovate. In the wake of Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda seeming to have died in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and with Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) playing a part in King’s literary arc for his character, there’s a chance that Vision could explore his own attempt at creating the perfect family.
What would separate this story from WandaVision would be that Vision’s approach would be more grounded, based in logic and science. Which, of course, opens Terry Matalas up for all sorts of intrigue, as his time on Star Trek: Picard and as co-creator of SyFy’s series adaptation of 12 Monkeys will attest. Rather than a romp through a technicolor dream that turns into a bittersweet nightmare, Vision’s story would theoretically introduce more robotics to the mix.
And as we’ve seen in the MCU, geniuses trying to automate their feelings and fears can lead to disastrous, world shattering results. Dare I even suggest that this new Paul Bettany series could even be a mind-blowing, yet appropriate, way to "happily" bring back Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark and/or James Spader’s Ultron? Even machines have issues with their past, and that final angle is all I need to really start to get excited for this untitled Vision series.
While we wait for further details on where this new Vision story will take Paul Bettany’s mechanical man, there’s probably going to be a new sense of urgency for fans to revisit WandaVision. In that case, it’s best to have a Disney+ subscription on hand, as the road to this new roll of the dice in the MCU starts again now!
