Disney’s Armor Wars Television series is being reimagined as a Marvel Cinematic Universe feature, and Don Cheadle will reprise his role as War Machine even though the project is technically part of episode 5.
There have been some creative alterations made to the Armor Wars Television program starring Don Cheadle, and now it will be adapted into a Marvel Cinematic Universe feature. Armor Wars is the only Marvel Studios project originally intended for Disney+ that has yet to be released. Although James Rhodes’ offshoot show started in 2020, news about it didn’t start to trickle out until 2022. Cheadle has appeared in multiple Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films since replacing Terrence Howard as Military Machine throughout Iron Man 2. Howard played Rhodes in the 2008 film Iron Man.
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After the tragic events of Phase 3, which included the loss of his closest buddy Tony Stark, War Machine is followed by Armor Wars. Cheadle’s next appearance as the Marvel superhero will be in Secret Invasion, and the Disney+ drama will be set after those events. Despite Disney’s commitment to developing Armor Wars, this series is not included in Marvel Studios’ Period 5 or Period 6 slates, which were revealed at San Diego Comic-Con. Cheadle stated earlier in the month that Tony’s Stark technology leaking out will be a major plot point in Armor Wars, and that Rhodey’s job is to keep it out of the hands of the wrong people.
Nevertheless, The Hollywood Reporter reports that Marvel Studios have completely revamped Armor Wars in preparation for developing the project as a full-length film. The studio wanted to make sure they “get the narrative conveyed the proper way,” so they decided against doing a 6-part TV series and instead made a movie. Writer-director Yassir Lester is on board and will create the film’s script. The original target year for production, 2023, has been pushed back as a result of this new information. Only a few days had passed after the director of the Blade reboot was let go before the Armor Wars announcement was made.
What Effect Will Make a Movie Out of Armor Wars Have on the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
It’s unfortunate that production on Armor Wars has been pushed back yet again, but turning it into a movie could be good for Cheadle’s character. War Machine has made cameo appearances in a number of MCU films, but he’s never played a key role in any of the films’ plots. Despite having his own show at first, Rhodes would benefit more from appearing in a feature picture. It would also give War Machine, who has been Iron Man’s sidekick for the whole of the MCU, his chance to finally shine in the big screen spotlight. It’s also not Marvel’s first time adapting a property from one form to another; Armor Wars is only the most recent example. Although the Royal Family had been set to star in their very own Phase 3 film, they were instead given a disappointing limited series by ABC.
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How much of a holdup the transition from Disney+ to theaters will entail for Armor Wars is yet unknown. Armor Wars would take place following Secret Invasion, but it might not be until Phase 6 if Marvel can’t find a logical location for it in Phase 5. Due to the large gap which will exist between the conclusion of Secret Invasion as well as the release of Cheadle’s movie, all Secret Invasion twists may be cut from the redeveloped Armor Wars like a feature film. Armor Wars may have always been considered a Phase 6 project due to the fact that the schedule wasn’t shown in its entirety at San Diego Comic-Con. The film’s outcome, Armor Wars, is uncertain until Cheadle, Feige, & Marvel Studios make the official comments.