The future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is bright. After the successes of Deadpool and Wolverine and Agatha All Along, that much is clear; Marvel Studios is back on track with its Multiverse Saga, and there are two major Avengers movies (plus a Spider-Man movie) to look forward to before that phase of the MCU paves the way for the next one.
That being said, the franchise's uncharacteristically weaker era of 2023 has resulted in a number of changes, particularly in which projects get greenlit. With rumors that some of the Disney Plus shows may not return for more seasons (and the more successful ones might) and that some planned sequels will no longer move forward, Marvel is being more strategic to ensure it remains on-course to success.
There are, however, a few projects with a bit more of an uncertain fate, including one that was rumored to be cancelled and then on-hold. Now, a new report has provided some more clarity about that project, confirming that it's still alive, still on hold, but perhaps destined for a complete reinvention.
Armor Wars is on hold but it will be reworked
The long-standing rumors of Armor Wars' cancellation are not true, it seems. According to reliable industry insider Daniel Richtman, the project remains on hold at Marvel Studios but the script is being rewritten after the extremely negative response to Secret Invasion and the story will be entirely different from the original pitch.
What's even more curious is that is now expected to be released after Avengers: Secret Wars, putting it outside of the Multiverse Saga, even though it was initially one of the earliest titles confirmed for the saga.
To recap, Armor Wars was initially confirmed as an upcoming project back in 2020 during Disney Investor Day. It was originally set to be a Disney Plus series that would bring back MCU veteran Don Cheadle as Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes (a.k.a. War Machine) as he sets out on a mission to protect the legacy of his best friend Tony Stark when the Iron Man technology ends up in some dangerous hands.
Two years after the project was first announced, it was revealed that it had been reworked into a movie instead. While some felt that this wasn't a wise idea given that some MCU projects were beginning to struggle at the box office, others understandably felt that a Rhodey-focused tale on the silver screen was long overdue. But after that, there haven't been any updates from the studio since.
Within the past year, however, there have been a multitude of rumors and reports claiming that the project had either been cancelled or could be in the near-future. Richtman had previously reported that both it and Blade were on hold as the studio decided what to do with them, with their final decisions imminent.
The latter had been taken off the release schedule altogether (as it was initially set for release in November) while Armor Wars was never placed on the schedule in the first place. Throughout the past few months, however, it has seemed clear that Marvel still intends on making Blade happen, and the film has remained in the public conversation given how high profile a project it is. But Armor Wars hasn't generated much conversation recently - which is why fans were particularly worried about whether that film would happen or not.
Distancing itself from Secret Invasion is the right move
The decision to rework the movie after the response to Secret Invasion is a very, very wise one. Although the Disney Plus series was one of the most-anticipated MCU projects prior to its release, it was received extremely negatively due to a number of its questionable storylines, uneven pacing, a polarizing finale and some poor CGI.
One of its biggest sins involved Rhodey himself, as it revealed that he had been replaced by a skrull at some point in the MCU timeline without ever fully confirming when or where it happened. Fans understandably complained that this even suggested that he may not have been present for Tony Stark's death in Avengers: Endgame, which would be an understandable gripe. Though it was subsequently confirmed after the show had ended that that Rhodey was replaced by a skrull after that film, the fact that it wasn't clear to begin with is not a good sign.
The real Rhodey was found and rescued in the season finale of Secret Invasion, meaning that any reappearance from him in the future would indeed be the real one. But a moment that was designed to be a genuinely jaw-dropping twist that would change the MCU forever ultimately retroactively damaged it. With that in mind, it's best to move on from the show for good and reset Rhodey's arc, clearing up any potential confusion about when the skrulls replaced him and allowing the character to move into the future of the MCU instead.
Here's hoping that Armor Wars comes to fruition and that Don Cheadle's beloved Rhodey finally gets the spotlight he deserves.