Days Before ‘Captain America 4’ Releases, Marvel Shelves Phase Six Movie
Marvel Studios is gearing up to release its latest blockbuster, but what comes next for the franchise remains uncertain.
Following a four-year gap since The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Anthony Mackie is set to don the stars and stripes as Captain America in his first leading role. Captain America: Brave New World (2025), directed by Julius Onah, lands in theaters on February 14, marking the MCU’s return to a world grappling with global political upheaval and espionage intrigue.
While anticipation is high, the film’s road to release has been anything but smooth. Casting debates and production challenges have made headlines, but early projections indicate a respectable box office performance—approximately $100 million domestically and $275 million worldwide. Not bad, considering the behind-the-scenes turbulence.
Despite a shifting landscape, Marvel Studios hopes the billion-dollar success of Deadpool & Wolverine will keep fans engaged through 2025. However, a new development has confirmed months of speculation—one major project has been pulled from active production.
Armor Wars–which was expected in Phase Six–has long been stuck in development limbo. Initially planned as a Disney+ series before transitioning into a feature film starring Don Cheadle’s James “Rhodey” Rhodes, the project has seen little movement. Even Cheadle himself remains uncertain about its status. When asked, he told TV Line, “I don’t know; I’m not sure where anything is right now.”
Recent reports indicate that elements of Armor Wars have been repurposed for the upcoming Vision series. Entertainment insider Alex Perez (The Cosmic Circus) suggests that plot points initially designed for Rhodey’s solo outing will now be incorporated into the Vision project.
Now, all signs point to Armor Wars being shelved indefinitely. Marvel producer Nate Moore, who is wrapping up work on Captain America: Brave New World before stepping away from the studio (though he is expected to return for Black Panther 3), has confirmed the movie is no longer a priority. Speaking to Collider, Moore stated:
“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 War Machine, this news is disappointing—especially given Secret Invasion’s shocking reveal that Rhodey had been replaced by a Skrull named Raava for an unknown period. This twist casts a new light on one of the MCU’s most emotional moments: Rhodey’s final conversation with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) in Avengers: Endgame (2019).
Moore’s statement echoes Disney CEO Bob Iger’s post-2022 strategy of reducing content output. Iger has been vocal about prioritizing quality over quantity, and Marvel’s Head of Streaming, Animation, and Television, Brad Winderbaum, has similarly emphasized a more selective approach to production.
Marvel is closing out Phase Five with Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts* (which just debuted a Super Bowl trailer). Phase Six will commence with The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025), followed by Avengers: Doomsday (2026) and Avengers: Secret Wars (2027), helmed by the Russo Brothers. Additionally, Spider-Man 4 is scheduled for a July 2026 release.
So what does this mean for Vision? While Marvel hasn’t confirmed which elements from Armor Wars will carry over into the series led by Terry Matalas, one major theory stands out—the return of James Spader’s Ultron. First appearing in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), the AI villain has deep connections to both Vision and Tony Stark’s legacy. Given Rhodey’s close ties to Stark, it wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine Armor Wars originally featuring Ultron in some capacity.
With Armor Wars seemingly benched, its return remains uncertain. Cheadle’s uncertainty, Moore’s comments, and Marvel’s shifting priorities suggest that fans may never see the project come to fruition.
What are your thoughts and opinions on Armor Wars being put on hold? Let us know in the comments!
