Marvel star Paul Bettany to appear at Tampa Bay Comic Convention

TAMPA — Critically acclaimed actor Paul Bettany, who plays Vision in the Marvel universe of films and TV, will make an appearance at the Tampa Bay Comic Convention, organizers announced Tuesday.

The fan convention will be July 29-31 at the Tampa Bay Convention Center. Other celebrity guests already announced include William Shatner and Dean Cain for a pop culture convention that will include cosplay, gaming, books, comic creators, artists and vendors.

Bettany has performed in more Marvel movies than any other actor because he has embodied two characters. He first surfaced as JARVIS, the artificially intelligent computer assistant to Tony Stark. He then was integrated into the body known as Vision, brought to life through Ultron.

His robotic superhero became the love interest of Wanda Maximoff, played by Elisabeth Olsen. Bettany went on to earn an Emmy nomination and critical praise for the spinoff series “WandaVision,” in which Wanda grappled with her grief at losing him by immersing herself and Vision in a world that she created out of thin air. The surreal series was a hit with audiences when it premiered in the thick of the first pandemic winter.

When he is not in a cloak and tights, Bettany has also earned raves for playing Ted Kaczynski in the “Manhunt: Unabomber” series and as a upper-class cad in the Amazon series “A Very British Scandal,” which details the acrimonious divorce in the early 1960s between the Duke and Duchess of Argyll (portrayed by Bettany and Claire Foy). He has also appeared in “A Beautiful Mind,” “Wimbledon” and “The Davinci Code.”

Bettany will be at the convention on Saturday and Sunday, doing paid photo ops and autograph sessions, but he will also be on a panel that anyone with a ticket can get into, said Ro Malaga, event spokesman. The details are still being worked out, but it will likely be a 45-minute talk with a moderator and questions from the audience.

Tickets for the Tampa Bay Comic Convention are $60-$125 at tampabaycomicconvention.com.

“Paul has starred in some of our fans’ favorite movies and TV shows and will no doubt create magic moments for fans of all ages and interests,” said Dan Farr, Tampa Bay Comic Convention show producer. “Paul’s attendance is a huge win for our fans, and the opportunity to meet and hear about his career and upcoming projects will undoubtedly be an experience they’ll never forget.”