Don Cheadle teases War Machine’s future in the upcoming Disney+ series, Armor Wars. The Oscar-nominated actor took over for Terrence Howard as James Rhodes in Iron Man 2 after alleged problematic behavior and salary disputes. Now, over a decade later, Cheadle is one of the longest-tenured actors in the MCU. His most recent portrayal of Rhodey came in the first episode of the Disney+ series Falcon and The Winter Soldier. The two-minute guest spot ended up earning him an Emmy nomination, which even Cheadle seemed confused about.

After Tony Stark’s heroic self-sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame, Rhodes is left with his arsenal of armor, essentially leaving him no choice but to assume the role of Iron Man. Avengers passing the torch onto another character has become a recent trend during the MCU’s transition from phase 3 to phase 4, including Steve Rogers handing his shield over to Sam Wilson and Yelena seemingly taking over Natasha’s role during Black Widow's post-credits scene. Similar storylines are expected to play out on the small screen in the upcoming Disney+ series Hawkeye and Armor Wars.

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Plot details for Armor Wars are incredibly thin, but it is known that Tony Stark’s Iron Man armor will fall into the wrong hands, and it will be on Rhodes to get it back. During an interview with EW promoting his new movie Space Jam: A New Legacy, Cheadle spoke briefly about his upcoming Disney+ series, which will provide a deeper look at Iron Man's sidekick. Cheadle teased that Armor Wars will be “a whole other level,” and audiences will learn “what makes [Rhodes] tick." Read his full quote below:

What's amazing is that what's to come is a whole other level. This will be an opportunity for the first time to really see who he is and what makes him tick.

James Rhodes standing in War Machine suit with mask up in Iron Man

As an Iron Man spinoff, there are plenty of opportunities that lay ahead for Armor Wars. The possibilities for returning characters are endless, with one popular choice being Iron Man 2’s military contractor Justin Hammer, who was played by Sam Rockwell. Ironheart is another Iron Man-adjacent series coming sometime to Disney+, so Armor Wars could also set up Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), a brilliant teenage inventor who builds an advanced suit of armor, for her solo series.

Every MCU series thus far has taken supporting characters and put them at the forefront, and Armor Wars will do the same. Rhodey had an interesting journey up until this point, considering his partial paralysis in Captain America: Civil War, but it has all been in the shadow of Tony Stark. With him out of the picture, Armor Wars will finally give Rhodey his well-deserved time in the spotlight as Stark Enterprises’ technology falls into the wrong hands.

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Source: EW

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