Armor Wars Gets An Update Following Rumored Cancellation, And It Involves One Major MCU Flop

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Summary

  • The MCU faces production issues after recent flops, leading to overhauls of projects like Daredevil: Born Again and Armor Wars.
  • Armor Wars wasn’t canceled but is on hold and facing reworks after the Secret Invasion backlash; it could potentially be post-Secret Wars.
  • There have been calls to scrap Armor Wars due to fan turnoff, but there is potential for redemption by returning it to Disney+ as a limited series.

Despite facing numerous production hurdles in the past, one specific Marvel Cinematic Universe project continues to encounter problems, with no signs of improvement due to its disappointing earlier performance.

In recent times, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has faced some challenges, experiencing a dip following its peak after Avengers: Endgame and encountering fan fatigue that’s been a topic since the downfall of the DCEU led by Zack Snyder. For many fans, this culminated with the series of flops in 2023, peaking with The Marvels which earned only a small fraction of what the original Captain Marvel made at the box office prior to Endgame. As a result, the MCU has undergone a significant shift in its content strategy, with only two major Disney+ shows and one theatrical release – Deadpool & Wolverine – scheduled for 2024. This adjustment also had an impact on projects that were still being developed, such as Daredevil: Born Again and Armor Wars, which underwent significant changes due to these issues.

Previously announced for a streaming release on Disney+, “Daredevil: Born Again” has undergone a complete revamp and is now set to debut. On the other hand, “Armor Wars,” starring Don Cheadle, was pushed to a theatrical release initially but appears to have stalled in development since then. While there were whispers that the project had been abandoned at Marvel Studios, a recent report by Daniel Richtman on Patreon disputes this claim. The report suggests that “Armor Wars” is merely postponed, not canceled. It seems that the team is revising it following the criticism received from “Secret Invasion,” and it’s now expected to be released after “Secret Wars.” The report also hints at a shift in focus for “Armor Wars” compared to its original plans, which could be attributed to the negative impact of 2023’s underperformance on the project.

Apart from being widely criticized due to a variety of factors such as the series tone and CGI in its action scenes, the portrayal of Secret Invasion within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was particularly problematic for fans. The revelation that James Rhodes, known as War Machine, had been a Skrull in disguise for an extended period, with the genuine Rhodes kept in storage to have his memories extracted, left many viewers dismayed. This twist was confirmed by Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige, meaning that several significant moments in the MCU, including Rhodes’ emotional goodbye to Tony Stark, were not as they seemed. The fallout from these storyline choices and their negative impact on the character’s legacy within the MCU has raised concerns about the upcoming Armor Wars series.

Given the passage of time and diminished interest, some fans are now questioning whether Marvel should abandon the planned Armor Wars entirely. With Tony Stark gone and Don Cheadle’s last MCU appearance potentially turning viewers off from Rhodey’s journey, a theatrical release for Armor Wars seems challenging, even for die-hard Marvel fans. Some suggest it could be better suited as a limited series on Disney+, where it might confront the events of Secret Invasion and help audiences see Rhodey recover from such a traumatic experience. If the story is told effectively with a strong emotional focus and a subplot about Rhodey preserving Tony’s legacy through the Armor Wars plotline, it could restore Rhodey’s prominence. However, putting the project on hold until after Secret Wars seems to undermine its potential for character growth.

Regardless of any challenges it might face, the upcoming project, Armor Wars, has strong potential for success due to its similarities with its comic book origins. The concept of Stark’s technology falling into the wrong hands is particularly relevant and intriguing in today’s MCU given that Tony Stark is no longer present. If shows like Agatha All Along and movies like Captain America: Brave New World, which faced initial uncertainties and production hurdles, have eventually reached viewers, it gives fans confidence that Marvel Studios will bring Armor Wars to the big screen as swiftly as possible, assuming there’s a compelling story left to tell.

The MCU is available to stream on Disney+.

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2025-01-30 23:11