Marvel is moving "Armor Wars" to the big screen. It was initially planned to be released as a TV series for Disney+, but according to Variety, Marvel decided to redevelop it into a feature film.
Don Cheadle will be reprising his MCU role as James "Rhodey" Rhodes, a.k.a. War Machine in "Armor Wars."
'Armor Wars' To Follow the Events of 'Secret Invasion'
According to Gizmodo, "Armor Wars" was originally being developed as a series that was supposed to be released on Disney+. But Marvel has changed its plans and decided to turn it into a movie instead.
"Armor Wars" follows the story of Rhodes as his character faces the consequences of Tony Stark's tech falling into the wrong hands.
It is based on a seven-issue arc of Marvel Comics. The arc shares that same name, and it is within the story realm of Iron Man.
The Hollywood Reporter, the one who broke the news, said that Marvel Studios is committed to "getting the story told the right way and in that process realized that a feature was better suited for the project."
Yassir Lester, who was working as head writer on the series, remains attached to the project as the film's screenwriter. Lester is associated with Showtime's "Black Monday" and Apple TV+'s "Loot."
"Armor Wars" was previewed at the D23 Expo, which happened earlier this month in Anaheim. According to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, the project would follow the events of "Secret Invasion."
Cheadle detailed how "Armor Wars" and "Secret Invasion" are tied together. He said that War Machine got to confront Nick [Fury], and the two are "going to go at it all throughout this show."
As of writing, Marvel is not naming a director who will lead the project. Moreover, it is unclear when an "Armor Wars" feature would be included in the current MCU timeline.
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Marvel Considers to Begin Production in 2023
Initially, Marvel is considering beginning the production of the series in 2023. However, the people who have been preparing for the shoot were only notified of the change on Thursday, as per The Hollywood Reporter.
Plot details of the "Armor Wars" project remain a mystery aside from the fact that it is expected to pick up after the events of "Secret Invasion," a Disney+ series where Rhodey will also make an appearance.
The project is expected to take after David Michelinie and Bob Layton's comic run. Its title "Armor Wars" came from Iron Man's storyline, which was published in 1987 and 1988.
According to Cheadle, he is done with his initial contractual obligations with Marvel Studios. However, he said that he is willing to welcome additional MCU projects.
Cheadle last appeared as Rhodes in 2021's "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," where he earned a Primetime Emmy nomination.
This is not the first time Marvel has decided to change the direction of the show that it is developing. For instance, the studio initially planned to have Hawkeye as a feature film but the executive team eventually decided to redevelop it into a Disney+ series.
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