Marvel has just announced that Emmy Award-winning actor James Spader has been cast as Ultron, the main villain in the blockbuster sequel Avengers: Age of Ultron from writer/director Joss Whedon. This is the first bit of new casting news on the highly anticipated film.
Perhaps putting to bed rumours that J.A.R.V.I.S. (voiced by Paul Bettany) would become the new Ultron, the casting of Spader certainly brings some gravitas to the role. In the comics, the character of Ultron was originally created by Ant-Man Hank Pym, although Joss Whedon has already confirmed that won’t be his origin story in the film version. Likewise, the film lifts its title from a recent comic book series of the same name, but will have little in common with that story apparently.
Spader has been most recently seen in Lincoln from Steven Spielberg, but is perhaps best known to audiences for his role on television’s Boston Legal and The Pratctice. Sci-fi fans will of course know him as the original Daniel Jackson in Roland Emmerich’s Stargate.
Avengers: Age of Ultron will bring the Marvel Universe’s biggest heroes together again to face one of their biggest villains, with “Marvel’s The Avengers” director Joss Whedon returning to write and direct the sequel. “Marvel’s The Avengers” was released in 2012 and went on to earn $1.5 billion worldwide, making it the third-largest grossing movie of all time.
Avengers: Age of Ultron is released on 1 May 2015 from Disney.
(Photo credit: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images North America via Zimbio)
