Despite being touted as an ambitious expansion of the franchise, Don Cheadle is in the dark on theArmor Warsmovie. Development on the project first began in late 2020, when it was announced that it would be a Disney+ show with Cheadle leading as James Rhodes and picking up the story fromIron Man 2and3and following the Marvel Cinematic Universe hero as he works to prevent Stark Industries' technology, namely the Iron Man suits, from falling into the wrong hands. After years of uncertainty, it was revealed thatArmor Warswas being re-developedinto a film.
During a recent interview withTVLineto discuss the finale ofFight Night: The Million Dollar Heist, Cheadle was asked for an update onArmor Wars' development.The MCU star humorously asked the publication to look into the film for him, going on to share that he’s “not sure where anything is right now” and is only aware of the fact that the project is still undergoing changes after its transition from a Disney+ show to a movie. See what Cheadle shared below:
You can find out and let me know. Yeah. I think the word that’s the most salient in that sentence is “switched.” [Laughs] I don’t know, I’m not sure where anything is right now. I think things are going through a lot of changes, and we’ll see what happens, we’ll see what it is.
What Cheadle’s Comments Mean For Armor Wars
Marvel’s Creative Shiftings Might Have Put The Movie On The Backburner
Cheadle’s uncertainty aboutArmor Wars' status does come at a time in which many MCU shows have either undergone a creative overhaul during their development, or remain in an unclear state of production. One of the biggest reasons for this wasthe increasingly lackluster responses to the studio’s output both on the big and small screens, namelySecret Invasion, which became one of the lowest-reviewed MCU titles of all-time alongside fellow Phase Five releaseAnt-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniaand Phase Four’sEternals.
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Just going off of Cheadle’s comment,it does seem likeArmor Warsmay have been pushed to Marvel’s backburner for the time being. The studio seems to be generally honing their focus on the projects they already have wrapped production on, namelythe frequently delayedWonder ManandIronheartshows, which look to be on track for 2025 releases. Even still, withAvengers: Secret Warsreportedly set to be a soft reboot of the MCU, the studio will need to find a slot in Phase Six for Cheadle’s movie if they don’t plan to bring him back after the 2027 crossover.
Our Take On Cheadle’s Armor Wars Update
Marvel Doesn’t Quite Know What They Want From The Project
Given it’s been nearly four years since the project was announced, and we’ve yet to hear any positive updates beyond its transition to a film medium,Armor Warsis starting to feel more and more like an afterthought on Marvel’s part. Cheadle has certainly tried to keep the anticipation alive for the title, and his promises of a faithful adaptation of the comics has certainly been enticing, especially as it leaves the door open for Sam Rockwell to reprise hisIron Man 2role of Justin Hammer, one of the MCU’s more underrated villains.
…this could create a problem for howArmor Warsaddresses the reveal that Rhodey was a Skrull inSecret Invasion…
Considering the film is intended to explore Rhodey’s grief over Tony’s death inAvengers: Endgame, though, I do still think it’s possible forArmor Warsto come out post-Secret Wars. GivenRobert Downey Jr. is coming back as Doctor Doomfor The Multiverse Saga’s final installments, it would actually make sense for Rhodey’s grief to be stirred back up with the appearance of someone who looks just like his longtime friend, only for him to be a more villainous figure.
10 Times Iron Man’s Tech Fell Into The Wrong Hands Before Armor Wars
Armor Wars will reportedly see Iron Man tech fall into the wrong hands, and this problem has already been explored a bit in other MCU projects.
That said, this could create a problem for howArmor Warsaddresses the reveal thatRhodey was a Skrull inSecret Invasion, and seemingly had been for some time. While the MCU has ultimately dropped a number of plot threads over the years, this is one that could actually be explained as setting up the main conflict of the Cheadle-led movie, if it explained that the Skrull version of Rhodey was selling Stark technology to the wrong people.
Armor Wars
Cast
Initially conceived as a Disney+ series, Armor Wars is an MCU movie centered on Rhodey Rhodes' mission to honor Tony Stark’s legacy and keep his Iron Man technology from wreaking havoc when they fall into the wrong hands. Starring Don Cheadle as War Machine, Marvel Studios' Armor Wars adapts the eponymous comic book storyline to the big screen in the Multiverse Saga.
