Don Cheadle’s portrayal of James Rhodes in the MCU, while an established and ever-present element from the very beginning, will soon see a much fleshed-out premise in upcoming projects that Marvel is carefully curating. There’s more to War Machine than the Marvel Cinematic Universe has offered to show us so far.
Also Read: War Machine Almost Had A Much Bigger Role To Play Than Being Iron Man’s Lackey In Avengers: Infinity War
Following Tony Stark’s passing, fans wondered if Don Cheadle’s character, who happened to be the late billionaire’s best friend, would continue to take on the esteemed mantle and become the next Iron Man. As the theories and speculation spread, the A-list actor himself cleared the air regarding such rumors.
Don Cheadle Says No One Can Easily Replace Iron Man
At Disney’s D23 Expo, Don Cheadle was interviewed by Extra. One of the questions posed to the actor was what his reaction was to the rumors that Rhodey would replace Tony Stark’s Iron Man. To this, the Rwanda Hotel the alum had “no comment” to do, because it was the first time he had heard of such speculation.
When asked whether or not such a future would be imaginable for his character, Cheadle said that “Rhodey is his own guy.” It is obvious that the actor wants an intrinsic and organic identity to be associated with the qualified military pilot. Receiving the moniker Iron Man would not only do Rhodey a favor, but also Robert Downey Jr’s iteration of Tony Stark.
Also Read: War Machine: Secret Armor Abilities Armor Wars Must Show
The actor further clarified:
“Rhodey is his own guy. I don’t think anyone can really interfere with that…Tony Stark, Iron Man shoes. I think he did it as well as anyone could. But I think we’re going to learn a lot more about what Rhodey wants, and who he is, and what his kind of place will ultimately be and the MCU firmament.
Such a response can be used to justify the MCU’s efforts to chart a distinctive future for the beloved character. Canonicals may see or allude to War Machine’s attempts to follow up on the precedent left by Iron Man.
However, at the end of the day, Rhodey is a unique individual who has always gone his own way and plans to do so in the future as well – as attested by Don Cheadle who has portrayed the role perfectly for years.
The future of War Machine in Secret Invasion and Armor Wars
In the same interview, Don Cheadle talked about how there is definitely “a future” for War Machine in the MCU threshold. This is an allusion to his involvement in Secret Invasionwho will start Armor Wars – a company that fans have been looking forward to.
Asked about the fan reception at D23, following the official reveal of the teaser for the premise that marks Samuel L. Jackson’s long-awaited MCU return, Cheadle claimed how heartwarming fan reaction is why the MCU continues to push forward with such surprises through their array of series and films spanning different genres.
Additionally, the actor reaffirmed how he plans to describe his character’s growth:
“Having the opportunity to take this character and dig deeper into it, and go to places that we’ve never seen before with Rhodey, it’s…it’s exciting. And I hope it’s something that, you know, people show up for.
Armor Wars – What to expect
When we talk about the “thriller-y” aspects of Secret InvasionDon Cheadle pointed out how the show “sets up Rhodey for Armor Wars.”
Read also: Armor Wars: Morgan Stark, Tony Stark’s daughter, should appear
Therefore, fans have a lot to look forward to in the coming days of the MCU, with War Machine finally having the chance to grow, evolve, and become a full-fledged person – moving away from an identity that relies on a mere replacement. .
Plus, as we all know by now, the character most likely to ascend to Iron Man’s legacy is none other than Ironheart. Dominique Thorne, who is set to take on the role of Riri Williams, will make her long-awaited debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
As for War Machine fans, Don Cheadle should make appearances in Secret Invasion and Armor Wars. While the former is set to debut on Disney+ in early 2023, the latter is expected to go into production the same year.
Source: Supplementary
