Marvel Studios is expanding the ongoing narrative threads of WandaVision with the upcoming Disney+ series VisionQuest. The show officially introduces Tommy Maximoff as the super-powered speedster Speed. Portrayed by actor Ruaridh Mollica, the character marks a significant expansion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s supernatural and synthetic family lines, bridging past television events directly toward the formation of the heavily teased Young Avengers team.
Originally introduced as an infant and young boy during Wanda Maximoff’s Westview hex in WandaVision, Tommy-along with his twin brother Billy-ceased to exist when the barrier came down. While alternate-reality variants briefly appeared in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, VisionQuest brings a fully realized version of Tommy back into the core Earth-616 timeline. According to early details, Mollica’s character is introduced as Thomas Shepard, an orphan living in London who experiences vivid, unexplainable dreams about a family he cannot consciously remember.
Ruaridh Mollica Brings Speed to Life in VisionQuest
Speaking at New York Comic Con, actor Ruaridh Mollica shared insights into his preparation for stepping into the MCU. To capture the essence of Thomas Shepard, Mollica immersed himself in Marvel Comics material featuring the character and the Young Avengers.
“All of the Young Avengers comics. I literally bought them. There’s that one of like me and Wiccan on the front… What better way to understand the character than how he’s written?”
In the series, Tommy’s narrative intertwines directly with Paul Bettany’s rebooted White Vision. Operating on the run with a bounty on his head, Vision sets out to find purpose and ultimately crosses paths with the mysterious young speedster. Their dynamic introduces complex emotional weight, as Vision searches for his lost family while dealing with fragmented programming and the lingering shadows of his past.
Connecting the Dots to the Young Avengers
Tommy’s debut as Speed completes another vital piece of the live-action Young Avengers puzzle that Marvel Studios has slowly constructed across multiple projects:
- Ms. Marvel (Kamala Khan): Recruited by Kate Bishop during the conclusion of The Marvels.
- Kate Bishop (Hawkeye): Took up the mantle in her self-titled Disney+ series and began assembling youthful heroes.
- Stature (Cassie Lang): Introduced with size-shifting abilities in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.
- Wiccan (Billy Kaplan): Explored his magical origins and spiritual reincarnation through Joe Locke’s performance in Agatha All Along.
- Speed (Tommy Maximoff): Set to make his main timeline debut in VisionQuest.
Much like Billy’s spirit found a new host body following a fatal car accident as seen in Agatha All Along, industry speculation and narrative precedent suggest Tommy’s presence operates through a similar mechanism. This mind-bending continuity allows the characters to age into young adulthood while maintaining their deep-seated comic book roots.
Broader MCU Implications and Future Releases
Set to stream on Disney+ starting October 14, 2026, VisionQuest promises more than just a family reunion. The series also features the return of James Spader as Ultron in a human form, adding another layer of existential introspection to Vision’s journey.
With rumors suggesting that VisionQuest will tie directly into major crossover events like Avengers: Secret Wars, the inclusion of both Maximoff twins alongside their parental figure positions the family at the center of upcoming multiverse stakes. As Phase 6 progresses, Tommy Maximoff’s evolution into Speed ensures that the next generation of heroes will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the MCU.
