Columbia Pictures via Everett Collection
The Avengers: Age of Ultron is adding someone new to their lineup, and it might be someone we already know and love. According to The Daily Mail, the film will be adding The Vision to their already massive cast, and are reportedly looking at British actor Paul Bettany to play the role — yes, the same Paul Bettany who currently provides the voice for everyone’s favorite artificially intelligent butler and personal assistant JARVIS. The actor was apparently spotted recently with Jeremy Renner on the set of the film, and that he appeared to be participating in some costuming and make up tests for the part.
It seems like every time we turn around, there’s a new character being added to Age of Ultron, and with so many other superhero franchises also in the middle of casting and filming, it can be difficult keeping everyone and their powers straight. To help you out, we’ve created a handy rundown of all of the new heroes and villains who will be in the next Avengers film, in order of how excited we are to see them on the big screen.
Unspecified Villain
Played By: Kim Soo-hyun
What We Know: Honestly? Not much. Kim, who is a Korean actress, was recently cast in an “villain role,” which means that her character will either play a supporting role to one of or both of the film’s two main villains, or she will be revealed to be a significant character somewhere down the line.
How Excited We Are: Well, that depends on who she’s playing, doesn’t it?
The Vision
Played By: Paul Bettany (Allegedly)
What We Know: Vision is a robot created by Ultron as a way to enact revenge against his own creator. Though Vision starts off as a bad guy, he eventually becomes good and joins the Avengers, and even falls in love with and marries Scarlet Witch. His powers include flight, phasing, the ability to project solar energy, and regeneration, which is sure to make things complicated for the Avengers. There’s been no word yet on whether this version of Vision will be tied to JARVIS in any way, but many people are theorizing that Ultron may corrupt JARVIS and turn him into Vision.
How Excited We Are: We’d prefer if he made a Wimbledon 2, but we’ll take it.
Quicksilver
Played By: Aaron Taylor-Johnson
What We Know: Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff is the twin brother of Wanda/Scarlet Witch, and is also a mutant and a former member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. He can move and think at superhuman speeds, a trait which Taylor-Johnson revealed causes him to become easily bored and irritable. He’s incredibly protective of his sister, likely due to the fact that they were abandoned as children, and have spent most of their lives running away and protecting themselves from people who wanted to harm them. Quicksilver will also appear in the upcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past, although he will be played by Evan Peters, and they characters will not move between the two universes.
How Excited We Are: Well, it’s got to turn out better than the other Quicksilver’s Empire cover, right?
Scarlet Witch
Played By: Elizabeth Olsen
What We Know: Wanda Maximoff, a.k.a. Scarlet Witch will be joining the Avengers lineup in Age of Ultron. She originally appeared in the X-Men comics along with her twin brother, Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver as part of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, but she was later recruited by Iron Man to join the Avengers. She’s a mutant, and her powers come from her ability to perform “hexes,” and telekinesis, which allow her to move or control objects as well as causing bad things to happen to her opponents. Olsen also revealed that her character can “connect with the dead and people from the past, the future, other universes,” so we’re excited to see how that ability comes into play in Age of Ultron. Scarlet Witch and Vision fall in love in the comics, so we’re likely to see some sparks fly onscreen as well.
How Excited We Are: We’re always up for more female superheroes. Always.
Baron Wolfgang Von Strucker
Played By: Thomas Kretschmann
What We Know: Strucker is a former Nazi officer who founds HYDRA, is the mortal enemy of S.H.I.E.L.D., and has spent most of his life attempting to take over the world through genocide. He is incredibly intelligent and strong, and is excellent at hand-to-hand combat, as well as having an aptitude for military strategy and disguise. Strucker has been thought to be killed many times, although he has survived or regenerated each time, and although it hasn’t been revealed which powers he will have in Age of Ultron, in some comics, he is able to kill his opponents instantly by releasing the Death Spore from his body. He also sues his HYDRA resources to develop serums that give him additional powers and prevent him from aging, so that he can stay eternally youthful and torture Nick Fury for all of eternity.
How Excited We Are: He’s cool, but we’ve already seen one Super Nazi, and we’re more interested in the maniacal AI.
Falcon
Played By: Anthony Mackie
What We Know: Though it hasn’t yet been confirmed whether or not Samuel Wilson/Falcon will appear in Age of Ultron, but since we know that it will deal directly with the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, it’s likely that he will pop up in some way. Although his backstory differs somewhat in the comcis, in the film, Falcon works as a tactical leader for S.HI.E.L.D. and bonds with Captain America over their shared military experience. He is able to fly using a pair of mechanical wings, and in the comics he also has the ability to connect with birds, see through their eyes and communicate with them. Falcon has been Captain America’s sidekick since the 1970s, and joined the Avengers shortly afterwards, which means it’s only a matter of time before we see him line up with the rest of the team.
How Excited We Are: Finally, Mackie will be in a film worth seeing. Sorry dude, we love you, but even you couldn’t make Runner, Runner bearable.
Ultron
Played By: James Spader
What We Know: Ultron is an artificial intelligence with an unfortunate god complex who is hell-bent on getting revenge on his creator and taking over the world. He’s a long-term nemesis for the Avengers, having first appeared in the comics in the 1940s, so even though he’s the main villain of this film, that doesn’t necessarily mean we won’t see him in future films. Ultron will be rendered on-screen through CGI, though he will be based on the motion-capture work that Spader will be doing. His range of powers includes superhuman strength, speed, and stamina, flight, and the ability to shoot rays of energy from his hands that renders opponents unconscious; however, Joss Whedon has revealed that not all of his powers will be featured in Age of Ultron.
How Excited We Are: He’s the big bad of the film and he’s voiced by Spader. Need we say more?
