Armor Wars has become one of the most uncertain projects among the MCU’s current slate of projects, and Don Cheadle has not made its future any clearer when recently asked about the movie…or is it a TV show? The project was originally planned as a Disney+ TV series, but as changes hit Marvel Studios with the return of Bob Iger as Disney’s CEO, it pivoted to be developed as a theatrical release. However, there has been very little information revealed about the movie since, and it seems that its star is just as much in the dark as everyone else.
Speaking to TV Line, Cheadle was asked about the development of the film/show, and although his response was laced with a streak of humor, it suggested that even he has no idea what is happening with the project. He said:
“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.”
Armor Wars is expected to expand on the Iron Man movies, with James “Rhodey” Rhodes being charged with ensuring the tech of Tony Stark does not fall into the wrong hands. One the biggest issues for Marvel Studios is where to fit such a project, as the pull of Iron Man was never about Stark’s incredible technology, but was always about Tony Stark. Without Robert Downey Jr.’s hero, will audiences care enough to make such a project worthwhile?
Secret Invasion Could Have Caused an Issue for Armor Wars
Armor Wars has several issues to overcome to be a successful project for Marvel Studios. Fans have been very fickle about which Marvel offerings they choose to watch and which they simply avoid. Armor Wars has the potential to be a big action project, but, based on several other previous entries in the franchise, it could turn into something very talky and political – which no Marvel fan really seems that interested in.
That is not the biggest potential stumbling block for Armor Wars. With Marvel Studios currently heading deep into the Multiverse Saga, and potentially coming out of it in a very different Marvel universe, there is a question about where a tech-focused project like Armor Wars would fit. Audiences have already made it clear that they are being much more choosy about which movies they bother going to see in cinemas, and with Captain America: Brave New World already reportedly struggling with test audiences,Armor Wars does not, on the surface, sound like the kind of film that would entice regular MCU audiences into theaters.
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Armor Wars: Marvel Comics Storyline, Explained
In light of Marvel Studios’ shift to produce Armor Wars as an MCU movie instead of Disney+ series, here’s a look at the original comics storyline.
Of course, Secret Invasion’s reveal that Rhodey has been a Skrull for several years is something that would need to be addressed in the movie. This is where Marvel Studios’ crossover between theatrical and TV releases needs to be more streamlined, as there are many fans who skipped Secret Invasion and don’t know about that particular twist. With all of this to consider, it is possibly not surprising that Armor Wars is getting more and more bogged down in development hell. Whether it can ever make it out is something we, and Cheadle, will have to wait to find out.