We’re off to see the Witches, the wonderful witches of Marvel! With just hours away from the premiere of the WandaVision spin-off Agatha All Along, we’re beyond excited to step into the wacky world of magic from within the walls of the fan-favorite Marvel Cinematic Universe. While the sequel series is only just beginning, we’re looking towards what’s coming next in the MCU, with new projects in development/filming all the time. Today’s bit of news comes in the form of a working title and production company for Marvel Studios’ Vision series that is in the works for Disney+!
The currently untitled Vision series, has been sometimes referred to as VisionQuest, and it is the third chapter in this strangest, and in my opinion, the most exciting, series within the MCU. Jac Schaeffer served as the creator and writer of the first two chapters and was ready to take on the reigns once again for the Vision series, but ultimately walked away due to scheduling conflicts with Agatha All Along.
In May of this year, Terry Matalas (12 Monkeys, Star Trek: Picard) was brought on as showrunner and had a different vision (pun fully intended), redeveloping the series before it was sent off to film. But with filming expected to commence in England in early 2025, things are definitely starting to warm up for the Paul Bettany-led series. We’re excited to share this tidbit of information with you and what it connects to the larger WandaVision picture!
[Warning: possible spoilers about Marvel Studios’ Vision series are below!]
The untitled Vision series’ working title is “Tin Man”
So, just to kick off the fun, let’s dive into the working title for Marvel Studios’ Vision series, which our sources have confirmed to us is “Tin Man.” Right away, the obvious connection is the reference to Vision and the fact that he’s a synthezoid. Going back to his origins in the MCU, which was in Avengers: Age of Ultron, Vision was born as a child of Ultron, with a body made from Vibranium and given life with the help of the mind stone and Thor’s thunder. His true purpose was to become Ultron’s true form; however, once Tony Stark’s JARVIS inhabits him, Vision becomes a hero of his own and a staple of the Avengers until his untimely death in Avengers: Infinity War.
In true comic book fashion, no one ever remains dead, and Vision reappears in WandaVision as not one but two different distinct versions. At the end of the series, White Vision flies off and disappears from the public eye. So if we take the working title literally, Vision is sort of “Tin Man,” out there in the world all by himself.
It could also reference the return of Ultron, who hasn’t been seen on film since Age of Ultron, except for his appearances in Marvel Studios’ What If…? With the series widely believed to be an adaptation of the award-winning Tom King series, Vision, it makes sense that Ultron would return to the long-running franchise. In the comic series, Vision attempts to live a normal life in the suburbs, but his family of synthezoids finds the adjustment difficult, partially thanks to the involvement of Ultron.
However, if we look a little deeper, it certainly seems to be a reference to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which wouldn’t be the first time the MCU has referenced this piece of cinema. Looking at the works of WandaVision and Agatha All Along, we have quite a few. For starters, the working title of Agatha All Along was “My Pretty,” a direct reference to the Wicked Witch of the West, whom she even appears as in the trailer for the show. In the series, Agatha and her coven must walk the Witches Road, which is a twisted version of Yellow Brick Road.
In WandaVision, on the theater marquee, is Oz the Great and Powerful, a Disney prequel to the classic film directed by Sam Raimi. Sparky, Wanda’s dog, is killed by Agatha (the wicked witch of the series), which parallels Toto in the film. Even the journey from a color-vibrant world to the mono-chromatic 50s plays with the concepts set in The Wizard of Oz. And, of course, who can forget when Wanda smashes a car into Agatha in the finale, with only the witch’s shoes poking out from underneath.
But across the MCU, there have been so many nods to The Wizard of Oz: “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” in the Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, “Over the Rainbow” in Werewolf By Night, just to name a few.
Is “Tin Man” just a reference, or is Marvel Studios indicating a magical trip back home, with a restart coming soon with the epic Avengers: Secret Wars? I suppose time will tell, but, interestingly, we have another connection to The Wizard of Oz.
The production company of this Disney+ series may hint at a journey of self-discovery
Turning to the production company, our sources also confirmed the Vision series is working under Calcutta Productions. What’s the connection to The Wizard of Oz or Vision, you may ask? Great question… I couldn’t find one. However, if we spin this differently, we may gain some insight into what this new Marvel Studios series could be about.
Calcutta is in India, specifically the state of West Bengal. There has only been one real instance or mention of Calcutta in the MCU, which comes from the original Avengers film. When Natasha catches up with Bruce Banner, he’s hiding in Calcutta, working on finding his peace and himself.
Given where we left White Vision at the end of WandaVision, it seems entirely likely that the character will be on a journey of self-discovery. He no longer knows who he is or what his purpose in life is, which is a question many have asked. In that same vein, plenty of people have visited India for spiritual enlightenment, so perhaps Vision is following Bruce Banner’s and many others’ shoes, seeking a deeper understanding of who he is.
What do you think of the working title “Tin Man” and Calcutta Productions for Marvel’s Vision series?
Regardless of whatever journey Vision goes on in his series, we’re excited to see what happens when Marvel Studios’ Vision arrives on Disney+! You can watch WandaVision and the upcoming Agatha All Along on the streaming service! What are your thoughts on the working title and production company? Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus!