Marvel Comics has established that Tommy Maximoff (or Tommy Shepard) is bisexual, but what about the MCU's version? Two episodes into VisionQuest, and the series hasn't really touched on Tommy's sexuality, though there have been hints at a possible romance with Lisa Molinari.
In an interview with Variety, actor Ruaridh Mollica discussed his own bisexuality and confirmed that VisionQuest's Tommy is similarly open to dating men and women.
"I feel like Marvel did a great job by casting a bisexual actor for this and it’s such an honor to be portraying that in the MCU," he told the trade, adding, "I feel so seen." With Joe Locke playing Wiccan, an openly gay character, Mollica later expressed his excitement that there are "these queer twin brothers in the MCU together...it’s so cool."
Back to that earlier point about Tommy's romantic hopes, the piece confirms that VisionQuest doesn't touch on the young speedster's attraction to men at any point.
"He’s flirting with Lisa Molinari, but I think that’s makes me feel more seen as bisexual," Mollica explained when that was put to him. "Because that’s the whole point. It’s not necessarily about who you’re dating, it’s about who you are inside, and who you want to flirt with. So I hope that me being bisexual and playing this part is good for people to feel seen and represented."
Much has been said about Disney's handling of LGBTQ representation over the years, but it sounds like Mollica is very happy with how VisionQuest handles Tommy's bisexual status. Whether fans will agree remains to be seen, though there's yet to be too much noteworthy grumbling on social media either way.
One big change to the character, however, is that he's portrayed with a Scottish accent. There had been discussions about Mollica using an English or American accent. However, it was later decided that, like his Welsh co-star Lauren Morais, he should use his real, regional accent.
"When we were doing [my screen test], Paul was just like, 'Terry, what do we think about his own accent?' Really? A Marvel superhero can be Scottish?" he recalled. "It’s always such a treat to champion Scotland."
In VisionQuest, Vision, rebooted and having escaped from those who sought to weaponise 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, reincarnated. 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.
In our review, we concluded, "Paul Bettany and James Spader are masterful in VisionQuest, a staggering achievement by Marvel Studios and Terry Matalas that understands its characters, does right by them, and delivers one of the best MCU stories ever told."
Marvel Studios has also revealed a family tree for VisionQuest, which you can check out below.