A new teaser has been released for VisionQuest, revealing a first look at the Marvel Cinematic Universe's original Human Torch, Jim Hammond. The android is shown engulfed in flame and seems to be wearing a comic-accurate costume.
We also catch sight of a mysterious red-eyed villain. While there's been speculation that this is the Scarlet Witch, it's almost certainly Jocasta, the bride of Ultron in the comics.
It makes sense for her to appear here, and it will be interesting to see whether this version's brain patterns are based on another of Tony Stark's AIs or Wanda Maximoff. The visual similarities point to the latter, which would be a suitably twisted thing for Ultron to do.
The teaser also reveals more of Vision's Mindscape and Ultron's frustration that he's trapped there. In a recent interview with Polygon, VisionQuest showrunner Terry Matalas addressed his decision to have the Avengers: Age of Ultron villain appear in human form.
"It's funny, people say it's a budget thing, it's not, it's a James Spader thing," Matalas said. "I love James Spader. Who doesn't love James Spader? I just want to see James, and I want to see Bettany. You'll get plenty of robot action in the show. The show is very much inspired by that last scene in Age of Ultron between the two of them."
"But watching Spader and Bettany chew up the scenery was something I saw in my head from the very beginning," he continued. "It is prohibitively expensive to do a CGI robot 24/7, but I also don't want to see a CGI robot. It's not going to be able to emote and do the things that James Spader can do with just the twitch of an eyebrow. So that's pretty much the main reason."
Check out this new promo for VisionQuest in the X post below.
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.
VisionQuest stars Paul Bettany, James Spader, Ruaridh Mollica, Todd Stashwick, T'Nia Miller, Lauren Morais, Orla Brady, Diane Morgan, Polly Frame, Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer, with Emily Hampshire and James D'Arcy.
The series is directed by Christopher J. Byrne, Gandja Monteiro, Vincenzo Natali, Terry Matalas, and written by Terry Matalas, Cindy Appel, Christopher Monfette, Nicole Falsetti, and Matthew Okumura.
VisionQuest is created for television by Terry Matalas, based on the Marvel Comics. The executive producers are Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Brad Winderbaum, Mary Livanos, Terry Matalas, Jac Schaeffer, and Christopher J. Byrne, and the producer is Roopesh Parekh.
The series premieres on Disney+ on October 14.