This week, Marvel Studios is set to drop its next blockbuster, but beyond that, the road is far from stable.
Four years after The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Anthony Mackie’s Captain America is finally making his big-screen debut. Directed by Julius Onah, Captain America: Brave New World (2025) arrives on February 14, bringing a fresh espionage thriller to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With political tensions at an all-time high in the MCU, Sam Wilson steps up to tackle a world thrown into chaos.
The journey to the fourth Captain America film hasn’t been without its share of drama. Casting controversies and behind-the-scenes turbulence have made headlines, yet early projections indicate a solid box office turnout—around $100 million domestically and close to $275 million globally. Not a bad feat considering the discourse surrounding the film.
The MCU may be in a transitional phase, but Marvel Studios is banking on the success of Deadpool & Wolverine to keep fans engaged through 2025. However, recent developments confirm long-standing rumors: one major project is no longer a priority.
Originally conceived as a Disney+ series before shifting to a theatrical release, Armor Wars has been stuck in development limbo for years. Don Cheadle, who stars as James “Rhodey” Rhodes (AKA War Machine), admitted he’s just as in the dark as fans. When asked about the project’s status, he told TV Line, “I don’t know; I’m not sure where anything is right now.”
Adding more fuel to the fire, a report from insider Alex Perez (The Cosmic Circus) suggests that key story elements from Armor Wars have been repurposed for Marvel’s upcoming Vision series.
Now, it seems the writing is on the wall—Armor Wars is effectively shelved. Nate Moore, a longtime Marvel producer, confirmed that while the project isn’t completely dead, it’s certainly not a priority. Speaking with Collider, Moore explained:
“You know, that’s not my project, to be honest. But, I do know, as Marvel [Studios] continues to go through this phase, we want to make sure whatever we’re making is awesome. So that means we had to slow down some things that were on the front burner. It doesn’t mean we’ll never make it, but it does mean we just have to be a little bit more considered so that every time out, audiences are guaranteed quality.”
For fans of Rhodey, this is a tough pill to swallow—especially after Secret Invasion delivered one of the MCU’s most shocking reveals: the real James Rhodes had been replaced by a Skrull named Raava for an undisclosed period. This revelation cast a shadow over one of the MCU’s most emotional moments—Rhodey’s heartfelt goodbye to Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) in Avengers: Endgame (2019).
Moore’s comments align with Disney CEO Bob Iger’s push to scale back Marvel’s content output. Since his return in late 2022, Iger has been vocal about the need to prioritize quality over quantity, a sentiment echoed by Marvel’s Head of Streaming, Animation, and Television, Brad Winderbaum.
Looking ahead, Marvel is preparing to wrap up Phase Five with Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* (which just got a fresh trailer during Super Bowl weekend). Phase Six will kick off with The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025), followed by the Russo Brothers’ Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and the highly-anticipated Avengers: Secret Wars (2027). Not to mention, Spider-Man 4 is set to swing into theaters in July 2026.
So what does Armor Wars’ fate mean for Vision? While Marvel hasn’t officially detailed what plot points have carried over, one major possibility looms large—the return of James Spader’s Ultron. First introduced in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), the AI villain is deeply tied to both Vision and the Iron Man legacy. Given War Machine’s close ties to Tony Stark, it wouldn’t be surprising if Armor Wars was originally set to reintroduce Ultron in some capacity.
Whether Armor Wars ever gets back on track remains to be seen, but given Cheadle’s uncertainty, Moore’s statement, and the shifting priorities at Marvel, its future looks bleak.
How do you feel about Armor Wars being pushed to the back burner? Let us know in the comments!
