Now is the perfect time to start watchingThe Blackliston Netflix, considering James Spader’s upcoming role.The Blacklistis a crime thriller series which follows FBI agent Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone) and her connection to the FBI’s most wanted criminal, Raymond Reddington (James Spader), following his spontaneous decision to help the FBI to hunt other high-profile criminals down.Since it first aired in 2013,The Blacklist’ssuccess has led to the creation of comics, novels, and a video game. Due to its action-packed plot twists and brilliant performances,The Blacklistis regarded as one ofNetflix’s best crime shows.
As one ofThe Blacklist’smain characters, James Spader has played the enigmatic Reddington since the pilot episode, as an eccentric character unlike any of Spader’s other movie and TV roles. Spader is known for roles such as Graham inSex, Lies, and Videotapeand Dr. Daniel Jackson inStargate, however,Spader further expanded his acting range in 2015 by voicing Ultron in Marvel’sAvengers: Age of Ultron. The MCU villain has not returned since his defeat at the end of the film, although theMCU’s upcomingVisionshowwill feature James Spader as Ultron, nine years since his introduction.
25 Best James Spader Movies & TV Shows, Ranked
Thanks to the actor’s wide range, the best James Spader movies and shows are always compelling experiences, from Secretary to The Blacklist.
James Spader’s Ultron Return Is A Reminder To Watch The Blacklist
The Blacklist Features Spader As A Villain
James Spader’s return as Ultron is a reminder to watchThe Blacklistas Spader delivers an equally villainous performance in the crime show. Over the years, Reddington became the backbone of the show, and Spader himself has produced 196 out of the 218 episodes ofThe Blacklist. The crime showhas a 91% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes, showing highly favorable reviews, although some people have criticized the show for being too long. The length of the show has been stated byJames Spader as one of the reasons whyThe Blacklistseason 10 was the finalseason, as seen below:
I think if the show went beyond this year, it would turn into a very different show. And I think that the thing that has been nice about this show was that we’ve never really had a really clear paradigm for the show. Tonally, the show shifts a lot from episode to episode, and I think that even the show has taken strange turns, and I suspect that the show, if it went much further, would just become something that would be less recognizable to me.
Marvel faces similar problems due to “superhero fatigue,” although this mainly stems from a lack of highly rated MCU projects recently. With James Spader returning to the MCU as Ultron, fans are hopeful they will use this underrated villain to return to their roots and what made their films successful.Spader’sThe Blacklistsuccess will only add to Ultron’s return, as he’s had 10 years to perfect the classy villain character. With the MCU’SVisionshow releasing in 2026, now is the perfect time for audiences to watchThe Blacklistand experience aSpader villain before his MCU Ultron return.
Raymond “Red” Reddington & Ultron Were James Spader’s Only Roles In The Past 10 Years
The Blacklist Took Over James Spader’s Workload
In the past 10 years, James Spader has surprisingly only featured in two roles; Raymond Reddington inThe Blacklistand Ultron inAvengers: Age of Ultron. DespiteJames Spader being a well-known actor with a $30 million net worth, he has notably slowed down in recent years, most likely due to his workload withThe Blacklist. Previously,Spader has appeared in 54 productions since 1978, in almost one production every year, up until his casting onThe Blacklistin 2013. Since starting the crime show, Spader has only appeared in two other productions,The HomesmanandAvengers: Age of Ultron.
James Spader Movie or TV Show
2013–2023
2014
2015
Ultron
2026
The Homesmanis a Western historical drama released in March 2014, in which James Spader starred in a supporting role as Aloysius Duffy.The Homesmanwas Spader’s first production since startingThe Blacklisttwo years prior and has an 81% Tomatometer score, although itsRotten Tomatoes critic score is much higher than its audience score. Following this, Spader starred inAvengers: Age of Ultronin 2015 and has not featured in another production outsideThe Blacklistsince then. Therefore, James Spader’s return as Ultron in 2026 is apt as it will follow on from his previous production in his filmography.
The Blacklistran from September 2013 to July 2023 after 10 seasons and 218 episodes.
The Blacklist’s 10-Season Run Is Worth Watching For Spader’s Performance Alone
Reddington Is One Of The Most Interesting TV Villains
The Blacklistis worth watching purely for James Spader’s performance, as he delivers aTV show villain more interesting than any hero characterthroughout the 10 seasons.The Blacklist’sclever plot twists and action-packed sequences set the show apart from other crime shows, however, James Spader’s character, Raymond Reddington, was a standout performance which drove the show to create more seasons. In early seasons, Reddington was a mysterious criminal with an unknown connection to Boone’s Elizabeth Keen.Elizabeth and Reddington’s growing relationship caused a lot of intrigue onThe Blacklist, with Reddington’s know-it-all aura often clashing with Elizabeth’s professional attitude.
There’s nothing more dangerous in this world than a man with nothing left to lose. - Raymond Reddington
Spader’s drawling accent compliments Reddington’s preference for luxury and provides some of thebest quotes inThe Blacklist.Reddington’s penchant for delivering philosophical and wise remarks only adds to his charm, especially as there is a constant debate by characters and viewers about whether he is truly as evil as he is portrayed. With all 10 seasons ofThe Blacklistavailable to stream on Netflix, now marks the perfect time to watch the show and experience James Spader’s loveable villain, especially as he will be returning to voice the enigmatic villain Ultron in the MCU’sVisionTV series in 2026.
The Blacklist
Cast
The Blacklist follows Raymond “Red” Reddington, a notorious fugitive, who shocks the FBI by surrendering and offering to help capture dangerous criminals. With a mysterious agenda, Reddington insists on working exclusively with rookie FBI profiler Elizabeth Keen, using his deep knowledge of an elusive criminal network.
