Does VisionQuest still want us to fear “Peepaw” Ultron?
Is Ultron still scary if he looks like a grandfatherly James Spader? We asked VisionQuest showrunner Terry Matalas to weigh in.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s 11th film, Avengers: Age Of Ultron, premiered in the spring of 2015 and received mixed reviews. Written and directed by Joss Whedon, the movie faced criticism for being overly ambitious, with The A.V. Club’s A.A. Dowd stating that it never finds room to breathe. Despite the mixed reviews, the movie's titular villain, Ultron, was largely praised as a formidable opponent for the Avengers.
Created by Tony Stark to provide a suit of armor for the entire world, Ultron goes rogue and kills J.A.R.V.I.S., the AI he had previously created. Upon his arrival, Ultron is a chilling and menacing adversary, but he can be stopped with the help of the re-emerged J.A.R.V.I.S. uploaded into Ultron's indestructible chassis, which he dubs Vision.
In Disney+’s VisionQuest, Ultron is presented as a magnificently bearded, fedora-favoring human avatar, played by James Spader. This version of Ultron retains his belief system but is more personable. Showrunner John Matalas explains that this human form was not a budgetary issue but rather an opportunity to showcase Spader's talents.
Ultron's demeanor in VisionQuest is more human-like and even slightly friendly, resembling a doting grandfather. However, Matalas maintains that Ultron's underlying cynicism remains intact.
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