Fans at New York Comic Con were treated to an exclusive first look at the upcoming Marvel series Vision Quest, and it included a surprising comeback. The show will feature human versions of DUM-E and U, Tony Stark’s beloved robotic assistants from the very first Iron Man film. These fan-favorite characters, last seen in a live-action cameo, are being reimagined in a completely new way for the 2026 series.
Who Are DUM-E and U?
For those who need a refresher, DUM-E and U are a pair of robotic arms with claws that were a constant presence in Tony Stark’s workshop. They were his earliest mechanical creations and served as comic relief, often seen cleaning up his messes or assisting with building the Iron Man suits. Despite Tony’s frequent threats to donate or dismantle them, he always kept them around, showing a hidden sentimental side.
The robots made their first appearance in 2008’s Iron Man and were last seen in a live-action role in **2013’s *Iron Man 3. They also had a brief cameo in **2021’s *Spider-Man: No Way Home. In Vision Quest, they will be portrayed by human actors for the first time. Henry Lewis will play DUM-E, and Jonathan Sayer will play U.
What Is the Story of Vision Quest?
Vision Quest picks up the story of the White Vision directly from the finale of WandaVision. In that series, the military organization S.W.O.R.D. resurrected Vision’s original body, creating the emotionless White Vision. After a confrontation with the “Hex Vision” created by Wanda’s magic, White Vision had his original memories restored but flew away, seemingly unable to connect with them emotionally.
Actor Paul Bettany explained the character’s journey at the New York Comic Con panel, stating:
“What’s different about Vision right now is that Red Vision gave Vision all of his memories, including the memories from within the Hex. But White Vision is having real difficulty connecting to them. So he has the memories, but he doesn’t have the emotions and the feelings, and I think that’s what the journey is.”
The series will follow White Vision as he travels the globe trying to understand who he is and find his purpose after being given a second life.
A Reunion of Classic MCU Characters
The return of DUM-E and U is part of a larger trend in Vision Quest, which brings back numerous artificial intelligence and robotic characters from the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The trailer shown to fans revealed that the story involves Vision entering a white mansion where he is greeted by servants who are actually AIs in human form.
This includes the return of James D’Arcy as J.A.R.V.I.S., Tony Stark’s original AI that later evolved into Vision. Also appearing in human form are the AIs F.R.I.D.A.Y., played by Orla Brady, and E.D.I.T.H., played by Emily Hampshire. In a major reveal, James Spader is also returning as the villainous Ultron, who will also appear in a human form sporting a bushy beard.
Marvel Television Head Brad Winderbaum described Vision Quest as the final chapter of a trilogy that began with WandaVision and continued with Agatha All Along. He teased that longtime MCU fans would be greatly rewarded, saying:
“The less we say, the better. But what I will say about Terry’s vision for the show is that he knows the lore. So if you’ve been following the MCU all these years, you’re going to be very, very, very rewarded.”
Other Returning Faces and New Additions
The series will also see the return of another character from Marvel’s first film, 2008’s Iron Man. Actor Faran Tahir is reprising his role as Raza, the leader of the Ten Rings terrorist group that originally kidnapped Tony Stark. This ties him with Paul Bettany for the longest tenure in the MCU.
The cast also includes Ruaridh Mollica as Thomas Shepherd, also known as Speed, who is the grown-up version of Wanda and Vision’s son, Tommy Maximoff. T’Nia Miller will play Jocasta, a cunning robot driven by revenge, and Todd Stashwick will appear as the bounty hunter Paladin.
When to Watch
Vision Quest is scheduled to debut on Disney+ in 2026. While an exact release date has not been announced, the series is currently in production and will consist of eight episodes. It is showrun by Terry Matalas, known for his work on 12 Monkeys and Star Trek: Picard.
Also Read: VisionQuest Trailer Out: White Vision Meets Human AI and Adult Tommy in 2026 Series
