Online Petition for ‘Armor Wars’ Raises Concerns About Marvel’s Handling of Black-Led Projects

Marvel Studios has many projects lined up for the next few years, with most moving steadily through development. However, one film has been stuck in development limbo for several years with only occasional updates: War Machine’s movie, Armor Wars.

Armor Wars was planned as a film based on the comic storyline of the same name. It was meant to follow Secret Invasion (which was released last year) and Ironheart (scheduled for 2025). Back in 2011, Don Cheadle confirmed that a War Machine film was in the works and that Joe Robert Cole had been hired to write it.

Nine years later, during Disney’s 2020 Investor Day, it was announced that Armor Wars would be developed as a Disney+ television series, with Don Cheadle returning as James Rhodes. In 2021, Cheadle also indicated that production would start in a few months.

In August 2021, Yassir Lester was appointed as the head writer for the series. However, by September 2022, Marvel Studios decided to shift the project from a series to a feature film, keeping both Don Cheadle and Yassir Lester on board. Filming was set to begin in early 2023 at Trilith Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, but was delayed due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, which affected the entire entertainment industry.

The development of this project has been lengthy and complex, with only sporadic updates, often fueled by rumors. Recently, a new rumor has alarmed fans, suggesting that the project might be in serious trouble, alongside the Blade reboot.

Daniel Richtman recently shared an industry scoop on his Patreon, stating that the studio will decide on the future of these projects in the coming months.

This scoop is notable given that both projects have been stuck in development limbo for years. However, only Blade‘s issues have been widely reported, including the director leaving the project in March and Mahershala Ali’s attorney criticizing the lack of progress after years of development.

Many fans have been eagerly anticipating Armor Wars, and when the recent rumor surfaced, a petition was quickly launched to prevent its cancellation.

The petition is straightforward, simply urging Marvel Studios to move forward with the project. The description reads as follows:

Marvel’s Armor Wars was first announced December 2020 as a Disney+ series and in August 2022, it was announced that it would have six episodes and begin filming in 2023. A month later, September 2022, it was announced that Armor Wars was being reworked into a film.

In two years, there have been no official updates on Armor Wars, leaving fans to speculate if the film has been quietly canceled.

One has to wonder why Marvel is continuously dropping the ball on POC-led projects such as Armor Wars and Blade. Ironheart has been finished for two years and is now slated to release in 2025.

Marvel, do better, and please make Armor Wars! 

The petition also suggests that the studio may have issues with projects led by people of color, particularly “Black-led” projects. This criticism is part of a broader trend where fans feel the studio isn’t making sufficient efforts with regard to recasting Black characters and developing Black stories.

The petition has currently gathered over 40 signatures. Have something to add? Let us know in the comments below!