The Marvel Cinematic Universe isn't exactly known for housing recurring villains who terrorize the heroes over and over again. Most of the time, these antagonists die in their very own debut projects, cutting their stories short from the get-go. Granted, there have been a handful of exceptions over the years, with Vincent D'Onofrio's Kingpin and Tom Hiddleston's Loki being the best examples. But most of the time, the bad guy leaves the picture moments after they are introduced.
Even iconic Marvel characters from the comics like Taskmaster or Gorr the God Butcher haven't escaped this unfortunate fate, and for a time, it seemed Ultron was going to be a member of that list, too. The rogue artificial intelligence made his debut over a decade ago in 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron but was nowhere to be seen afterward. Fortunately, not only is he returning in this year's VisionQuest, but it looks like he'll be here to stay.
Ultron will reportedly return after the events of VisionQuest
As revealed by industry insider Alex Perez, Ultron will return in an upcoming MCU project. The timing of the report indicates the murderous android will be seen again after the events of VisionQuest, which is slated to be released on Oct. 14, 2026.
While it wasn't specified where or when we will see Ultron next, there are two very likely possibilities. For starters, it has been rumored for a long time now that Doctor Doom won't be the only MCU villain to steal the spotlight in Avengers: Secret Wars. Reports indicate that previous MCU antagonists will return in the final chapter of the Multiverse Saga, while actor Josh Brolin teased that he worked with Avengers: Secret Wars' directors, the Russo Brothers, once more.
If Marvel intends to bring all its heroes together just in time for the final battle in Avengers: Secret Wars, a lot of antagonists will be needed to fight them. Of course, an expendable CGI army is always an option, but wouldn't it be more satisfying for former MCU villains to make a return for one last stand? One of the advantages of the Multiverse Saga is that we could see variants of antagonists who already died. That way, even the likes of Killmonger and Mysterio could be back in action.
Unfortunately, it could feel a little out of the blue for multiple villains to suddenly swear allegiance to Doom and do his bidding. As such, there's another project that could be even more fitting for Ultron's return.
For a long time now, it has been rumored that Marvel is working on a Champions / Young Avengers project. Early reports indicated that the crossover would happen as a Disney+ show, although recent updates suggest the story could be adapted into a theatrical movie instead. In any case, it's clear a new team of heroes is coming together. After all, the post-credits scene of The Marvels showcased Kamala Khan recruiting Kate Bishop, and leaked Avengers: Doomsday concept art revealed the group's members.
Ultron will cross paths with Speed and potentially Wiccan during the events of VisionQuest. Not only are the two heroes members of the Young Avengers, but Ultron's latest creation, Jocasta Pym, could also join the group. As such, the rogue AI would have a pre-existing relationship with three members of the team, making him the ideal candidate to act as the antagonist of their stand-alone Young Avengers project.
Ultron is one of Marvel's most popular antagonists in the comic book world, and while he has been largely absent in the MCU, there's still time to make him a force to be reckoned with. Fortunately, it's likely that we'll learn more about the villain's arc during the events of VisionQuest, which is just around the corner.
VisionQuest will be released on Oct. 14, 2026.
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