Marvel’s Armor Wars Update: Is War Machine’s Solo Film in Trouble?

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As a devoted Marvel fan, if I were to share some insights about the MCU films with a touch of drama, here’s how I might put it:

“Among the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, none has had as tumultuous a journey to the big screen as the new Blade. And if there’s another production that’s experienced its fair share of upheavals, it’s Armor Wars. Announced in December 2020 for Disney+, this series was set to see Don Cheadle reprise his role as James Rhodes/War Machine in a story revolving around the fallout when Tony Stark’s technology enters the public sphere. Since then, there has been scant news on the project other than its transition from a Disney+ series to a feature film. With no recent updates, many of us are left wondering if Armor Wars is still alive and well in Marvel’s grand scheme, or if it has met an unfortunate demise.

During a chat with Collider before the premiere of Captain America: Brave New World, Nate Moore, Marvel Studios’ Vice President of Production and Development, discussed the Armor Wars project.

To set the record straight, this project isn’t mine personally. However, as Marvel Studios moves forward in their current phase, our focus remains on delivering exceptional work. Consequently, we needed to pause certain projects that were initially prioritized. This doesn’t imply that we won’t eventually produce it, but it does mean we need to approach it with extra care to ensure the audience always receives high-quality content.

For 14 years, Moore has been a key producer at Marvel Studios, contributing significantly to numerous Marvel Cinematic Universe films such as “Captain America: Civil War,” “Eternals,” “Black Panther,” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” However, the industry was taken aback in December 2024 when it was announced that Moore would be leaving Marvel Studios in March 2025, just after the release of “Captain America: Brave New World,” a project he was deeply invested in. Despite his departure, Moore is still scheduled to work on “Black Panther 3” for Marvel Studios. Fans, while saddened by the news, were not entirely surprised given the absence of recent updates about the “Armor Wars” project.

‘Armor Wars’ Has a Nearly Five-Year History of Starts and Stops

At Disney Investor Day in December 2020, Kevin Feige announced that Armor Wars was one of the numerous MCU projects on the horizon. This decision seemed to be prompted by then CEO Bob Chapek’s request for an increase in streaming series and major announcements, even if the projects weren’t fully prepared. The story would be based on a well-known Iron Man comic saga, where Justin Hammer pilfered Stark’s Iron Man tech, using it to pursue armored adversaries. Notably, this adaptation was penned by comic greats like Bob Layton and Venom co-creator David Michelinie, with artwork contributed by M.D. Bright, Layton, and Barry Windsor-Smith (Weapon X).

In contrast to the underperformance of “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” and “The Marvels” in 2023, Disney’s newly reinstated CEO, Bob Iger, has indicated a shift towards focusing more on quality rather than quantity in their productions. This adjustment is set to impact all of Disney’s divisions and, as a result, some releases may be delayed. As it stands, the release schedule for Phase 6 appears to have a few open slots, but “Armor Wars” has yet to be confirmed as part of this upcoming slate. It might need to wait until after the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Multiverse Saga concludes with “Avengers: Secret Wars,” which is expected in 2027.

It appears that elements leading towards the storyline of “Armor Wars” have been gradually introduced across different Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) productions. The initial hint was when Peter Parker lost control over Stark Industry drones in “Spider-Man: No Way Home”. This was further developed in “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”, where Sharon Carter, also known as The Power Broker, sought to sell military secrets and technology similar to Stark’s on the black market. It is suggested that “Armor Wars” has been developing subtly since the beginning of the Multiverse Saga.

However, it seems that Marvel Studios might be cautious about moving forward with “Armor Wars” due to the negative reception of “Secret Invasion”, which revealed Rhodey as a Skrull and caused criticism from both critics and hardcore Marvel fans. This could potentially explain why progress on this project has been slow.

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2025-02-07 02:36