Between San Diego Comic-Con and D23 Expo, Marvel Studios has made a lot of moves and announcements in the last few months... and they just keep coming. In the last few days, we've learned big new details about Deadpool 3, and Blade, which is only weeks away from starting production, is now searching for a new director. And as though those news drops weren't significant enough, we're now learning that the planned Disney+ Armor Wars series is changing mediums and is now going to become a movie.
The Hollywood Reporter has provided the information on this big change, noting that Yassir Lester, who was originally hired as head writer on Armor Wars, is still on board to handle the screenplay and Don Cheadle is still attached to star. According to the trade, the decision to change directions with the project was decided by Marvel Studios due to feelings that it was the best treatment for the story that is being told. There is presently no director attached.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige spoke very briefly about Armor Wars at the aforementioned D23 Expo, and not much was said about it. Don Cheadle was confirmed to be the main star of the six-episode limited series, reprising the role of James "Rhodey" Rhodes, and it was confirmed that the plot will center on the nightmare that is the idea of Tony Stark's proprietary technology getting out into the world and into the wrong hands. There was no release date confirmed, nor was it said whether the show was going to be in Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Phase 6.
Armor Wars now being a movie surely changes their plans, if not particularly because Marvel Studios has in the past expressed reticence about releasing an overabundance of blockbusters in a single calendar year. As things stand, 2023 is going to be the franchise's busiest big screen year yet, as there are four titles set to hit theaters: Peyton Reed's Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania (February 2023), James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (May 2023), Nia DaCosta's The Marvels (July 2023) and the director-less Blade (November 2023).
After that, Marvel Studios has another four movies planned for 2024: Julius Onah's Captain America: New World Order (May 2024), Jake Schreier's Thunderbolts (July 2024), Shawn Levy's Deadpool 3 (September 2024), and Matt Shakman's Fantastic Four (November 2024). Unless some kind of shift happens – which is totally possible – we may not actually get to see Armor Wars on the big screen until 2025 a.k.a. the year of Destin Daniel Cretton's Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars.
Keeping track of everything coming from the MCU seems to get more complicated every day, but the good news is that CinemaBlend has you covered. Our Upcoming Marvel Movies and Upcoming Marvel TV guides will help you keep track of everything that is on the way, and our Marvel Movies In Order feature will help you make sense of the ever-expanding timeline and canon.
