Don Cheadle first appeared as James Rhodes, aka War Machine, in Iron Man 2 (2010), replacing Terrence Howard, who played the character in the first film. Since that time, he has made the character his own. As James Rhodes, the actor has appeared in a total of six MCU films, including the second Iron Man movie. In addition, he played a significant role in the Disney+ Secret Invasion series. And his next MCU project will be Armor Wars.
According to DanielRPK, one of the most reliable sources on Twitter (X), Marvel Studios may commence filming Armor Wars in 2025. It means the film may be released in theatres in 2026 or 2027.
Marvel Studios’ upcoming 'ARMOR WARS' film is reportedly aiming to begin filming in 2025.
— 《MCMCULTURE》 (@mcuculture) January 2, 2024
(via @DanielRPK) pic.twitter.com/TAjfhROBi2
Armor Wars has been in developmental hell for many years. In January 2011, Don Cheadle first announced the project, with Joe Robert Cole as its head writer. However, Marvel Studios sidelined the project to focus more on films based on other popular superheroes, a decision which also laid the foundation of The Avengers (2012).
In December 2020, MCU’s godfather, Kevin Feige, revealed that the Armor Wars series was being developed for the Disney+ streaming platform. Then, a report from The Hollywood Reporter in September 2022 disclosed that the show would be changed to a theatrical film. Soon, Dominique Thorne was added to the film’s cast as Riri Williams, aka Ironheart.
The Armor Wars film could serve as a loose sequel to the events of the Secret Invasion series and the upcoming Ironheart series. In addition, it will explore the aftermath of Tony Stark’s death. Stay tuned for more updates.