Marvel's upcoming Vision Quest series is reportedly resurrecting a villain from the very first MCU film, Iron Man.
Deadline reports that Faran Tahir will reprise his role as Raza Hamidmi al-Wazar, the Afghan terrorist leader who held Tony Stark captive in the opening scenes of the 2008 film. Almost two decades later, he's returning to the MCU. His betrayal by Obadiah Stane marked his last appearance until now.
Similar to Samuel Sterns' reappearance in Captain America: Brave New World, al-Wazar's return in Vision Quest, starring Paul Bettany as White Vision, is a surprise. The series' release date remains unannounced.
Faran Tahir in 2008. Image credit: Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage.Initially portrayed as the head of a generic terrorist group, al-Wazar's backstory expanded in Phase 4. His group was subtly linked to the Ten Rings, a connection significantly developed in 2021's Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. This suggests a possible retroactive inclusion of al-Wazar as a Ten Rings commander. Given Shang-Chi's open ending, a connection to Vision Quest through this character seems plausible.
However, Vision Quest might also be revisiting other overlooked MCU elements, similar to Deadpool & Wolverine's exploration of the discarded Fox Marvel universe.
The series will also feature the return of James Spader as Ultron, his first appearance since Avengers: Age of Ultron. Details about the show remain scarce.