Among the many actors who have stayed in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for a very long time, Don Cheadle’s name is extremely high on the list. He made his debut in 2010 with Iron Man 2 as Colonel James Rhodes, replacing Terrence Howard for the role. Since then he has appeared in various movies within the franchise and another project is on its way with Armor Wars focusing on War Machine and the Iron Man legacy.
It has been over a decade for Cheadle as the character and he has been loved as War Machine ever since. His journey from War Machine, to the Iron Patriot and then back was a full circle but with massive character growth.
Don Cheadle Wished The MCU Focused On War Machine Earlier
Don Cheadle is finally getting his own movie after being in various other MCU projects, some having him as a side character while others seeing him appear just for a cameo. Armor Wars will be War Machine’s spotlight after a long wait. The movie was previously planned as a Disney+ series but was ultimately finalized as a movie due to the script being just too good for a streaming release.
“Hopefully, with this new movie, I’ll have the opportunity to really play with this character in a way that we haven’t seen before, and really try to build out who Rhodey is and give him a real backstory, and find out what’s the beating heart under this character.”
He loves the fact that his character is finally being explored in depth, but still hints at the regret of it happening so late in the franchise. For a character who has been a part of the MCU for twelve years now, James Rhodes has not been given as much screen time as he deserves. All of that will change with Armor Wars, which will focus on Rhodey’s journey post the death of his best friend, Tony Stark.
Don Cheadle Sees The Marvel Cast As An Extended Family
The found family trope is very much real and Don Cheadle sees the MCU cast as a prime example of that. Family is never limited by blood and for someone who has spent the last decade and more with Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans, to him, they are all family.
To him, no matter how long it may take for them to reunite, it would be like visiting a house for the holidays after a lengthy year. The time apart that they’d spend would only make up for the conversation starters for him.
Armor Wars will be available to watch in theatres in 2023.
Source: People
