Terry Matalas, the creator and showrunner for Marvel Studios’ upcoming Disney+ series Vision Quest, has offered a glimpse into his creative process for the WandaVision follow-up, and his approach sounds highly promising for fans eagerly anticipating the android’s return. The series is set to pick up after the events of WandaVision, focusing on the mysterious White Vision (Paul Bettany) who flew off after having his memories restored. During a recent appearance on Katee Sackhoff’s The Sackhoff Show podcast, Matalas discussed the collaborative nature of the project and the freedom he has been given to explore the character’s journey, hinting at a “really special” and potentially “crazy” direction for the synthezoid Avenger. While specific plot details remain under wraps for the show, Matalas’s comments suggest a thoughtful and ambitious vision for continuing this unique corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“There was a kind of logline that was very specific,” Matalas explained about Vision Quest‘s story. “Kinda like ‘It’s this, this, and this.’ But there were a thousand ways to do exactly that. I’m trying to figure out how to vaguely respond to you, but it was an opportunity to be like, ‘Okay, if you want to do this, then you kinda also want to do this, this, and this.’ And it became this very collaborative experience that’s just been really wonderful. And it doesn’t have to be with the biggest, most successful studios of all time. It’s been a really wonderful creative experience, and I think we are making something really special.” Matalas also shared his anxieties about the upcoming series. “It’s also scary because they are like, ‘Go do that crazy thing you wanna do.’ And I’m, like, ‘Oh, wow, it’s a big stage to take a big swing on.’ But I think we’re in a really good place.”
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“There are so many different ways to tell a story that’s within canon,” Matalas reiterated about his creative approach. “It’s also an opportunity to, I don’t wanna say break canon, but to elevate it or make it, or maybe course correct. I like it. Usually, it gives you the opportunity to tell a more interesting story. […] Where it gets hard in cases like Star Trek or Marvel is when there’s so much of it, you want to do a thing that’s, like, a great story, but it actually has been done on a thing you didn’t even know happened. Or it’s being made at the same time.”
“It’s not the right way to develop something that has legions of fans and be like, ‘Ignore them,’” Matalas added when asked about his relationship with fandom. “But at the same time, you can stop yourself from making an interesting choice because of fan expectations or whatnot. Because, even as a fan of things [myself], sometimes the fans don’t know what’s good for them. They are like, ‘Wait, what are they doing? They are bringing that character back? Nostalgia!’ Then they see it, and they say, ‘Oh, it’s a new way into an old idea, that’s a thing.’ So, yes [I think about fans] but carefully.”
Everything We Know About Vision Quest
Beyond continuing the White Vision’s storyline that started in WandaVision, Vision Quest will see the return of two seemingly long-gone Marvel Cinematic Universe characters. First, the series will feature Ultron, with James Spader confirmed to reprise his role, even though the genocidal AI was ostensibly destroyed in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Still, since his source code is partially inside the Vision, the series has some interesting ways to bring him back. More curiously, Vision Quest will also star Faran Tahir as Raza, the Ten Rings captain last seen in 2008’s Iron Man. With the Ten Rings organization having evolved significantly after Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Raza’s role could shed new light on the group’s history and connection to Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), one of Vision’s creators.
Vision Quest is slated for a 2026 premiere on Disney+.
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