James Spader Returns as Ultron in VisionQuest

James Spader has returned as Ultron in VisionQuest, a new Marvel series that gives the character more room to develop and places him alongside Paul Bettany’s Vision. The series premiered with two episodes on October 13, and Spader says the role’s evolution surprised him despite detailed discussions with creator Terry Matalas and access to the scripts. According to FlixPatrol, VisionQuest ranked first among TV shows on its United States streaming chart shortly after its premiere. The ranking reflects the chart tracker’s measure of relative position; no viewing totals were supplied. The series has eight episodes, with episodes scheduled to arrive in pairs weekly and the final two set to be released separately. Spader said the longer television format allowed him to explore aspects of Ultron that he had imagined while playing the character in Avengers: Age of Ultron. In an interview, he described seeing the scripts and then performing the material as a process that repeatedly brought unexpected depth to the character. He said he was surprised by how much of Ultron’s development appeared in the series. In another interview, Spader characterized this version of Ultron as older and...