Summary
While theMarvel Cinematic Universehas worked through a lot of production issues in the past, one particular project keeps going through the ringer and things don’t seem to be getting along any smoother thanks to a previous poor performance.
TheMCUhas had some problems in recent times, falling from its peak aroundAvengers: Endgameand grappling head-on with the fan fatigue that has been in the discussion since the decline of the Zack Snyder-led DCEU. For many, this came to a head with2023’s slate of misfires cumulating inThe Marvels,barely making a fraction of what the firstCaptain Marveldid at the box office right before Endgame. Since then, there’s been a concerted change in the way the franchise puts out content, with 2024 seeing only two major Disney+ shows and only one theatrical release by way ofDeadpool & Wolverine. This also affected many projects that were still in development at the time, including shows likeDaredevil: Born AgainandArmor Wars, which would get major overhauls in the wake of those issues.
WhileDaredevil: Born Againgot completely redone and is set to release on Disney+ recently,Don Cheadle’sArmor Warsgot bumped up to a theatrical releaseand has seemingly been in a state of arrested development ever since. Rumors did eventually emerge that the project had been completely scrapped at Marvel Studios, but a recent report by trusted scooperDaniel Richtman on Patreonsuggests that this isn’t the case at all. “I’ve heard that ‘Armor Wars’ is on hold, not canceled,” the report says. “They’re reworking it after the backlash from ‘Secret Invasion,’ and at this point, it’s looking like it’ll only happen post-‘Secret Wars.’ It’s also expected to focus on entirely different things than originally planned.” This report, specifically pointing out the Disney+ showSecret Invasionas one of the road bumps forArmor Wars,really drives home the impact 2023’s terrible performance had on the project.
In addition to being generally disliked for a whole plethora of reasons ranging from the tone of the show to the CGI used in its more action-filled moments, one major issue with the MCU’s take onSecret Invasionwas the reveal that James Rhodes (aka War Machine) had been replaced by a Skrull for a significant amount of time, with the original kept in a pod to have his memories harvested for the ruse. Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige confirming this had been the case sinceCivil Warmeant that for many important moments in the MCU, including his emotional farewell to Tony Stark, Rhodes had been a fake. Many fans were horrified by this discovery, with many agreeing that thisdecision inSecret Invasionirreprably tarnished the character’s MCU legacy. With that in mind, it’s clear how that show’s failures and controversial decisions would negatively affectArmor Wars.
With so much time elapsed and so little buzz left, many people have started to think thatMarvel really does need to just scrapArmor Warsaltogether. With Tony Stark gone and Don Cheadle’s last MCU appearance doing a lot to turn people off from the character’s MCU journey, a theatrical release forArmor Warsfeels like a big ask, even for the most optimistic Marvel fans. Elsewhere, there are some calls to have the project return to Disney+ as a limited series, and this could potentially face the reveal inSecret Invasionhead-on and show audiences how the character recovers from such a devastating event. If a proper story could be told with a well-written emotional stake and a companion plot that sees the character try to protect Tony’s legacy via adapting theArmor Warsplotline, it really could redeem Rhodey and make him a major player again. However, the decision to leave the project on the back burner until afterSecret Warssort of invalidates its utility as positive character development.
Despite the development hell it will probably have to go through some more,Armor Warscan still work for the same reasons it worked as a comic book storyline, with a special focus on the power of Stark’s tech in the wrong hands looking even more poignant and appealing for the MCU now that the man himself is out of the picture. If initially directionless projects likeAgatha All Alongand theatrical releases plagued by reshoots likeCaptain America: Brave New Worldcould make it to the viewing audience, then fans can rest assured that Marvel Studios will bringArmor Warsto theaters as soon as possible (if there’s still a story to be told there).
