It’s no secret that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a behemoth force in the entertainment industry. The franchise continues to grow thanks to upcoming Marvel movies and TV shows, and some of the starring actors have been around for a long time. That includes War Machine himself Don Cheadle, who spoke about what it’s like to have “grown up” with the Avengers cast for over a decade.
Cheadle made his MCU debut in 2010’s Iron Man 2, taking on the role of James Rhodes from Terrence Howard. Since then he’s been seen on both the small and silver screens, and will appear next in Secret Invasion opposite Samuel L. Jackson. The Crash actor spoke with People about his time as an Avenger, and the bond he shares with his castmates. In his words:
It's always like home when we go back. We don't see each other for many years, and then there'll be an opportunity to come together in Avengers or something. There would be another kid, or someone's newly married or newly divorced. Everyone's situation continues to change. So I've kind of grown up over the last 12 years with this cast who I really have fun with.
Some points were made. It’s almost hard to believe it, but it's been over 10 years since the MCU began entertaining audiences. That’s a lot of time for anyone to spend with one role, and the original lineup of Avengers have grown with each other. And that includes big life events like marriages, divorces, and kids. Celebrities: sometimes they really are just like us.
Don Cheadle’s comments are a touching peek behind the curtain about what it’s actually like working in the giant machine that is the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But it’s ultimately just a group of people who are making each new blockbuster, and there have clearly been some very strong bonds made in the process.
While some Marvel favorites like Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Scarlet Johansson have retired from their signature roles, some long-standing heroes are still in play including Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, and Don Cheadle. As a reminder, you can check out the latter actor in the Secret Invasion trailer below:
Aside from that forthcoming MCU series that’ll be available with a Disney+ subscription, Cheadle will also be playing War Machine in the big screen blockbuster Armor Wars. Fans are also hoping to see him in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, but it remains to be seen how Rhodey’s story goes down in the first two projects. Moviegoers are also concerned about that upcoming Avengers movie thanks to Jonathan Majors’ recent arrest.
Given Tony Stark’s death in Avengers: Endgame, I’m eager to see Cheadle’s hero step into the spotlight. While we got a few scenes of him in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, we haven’t seen much of Rhodey since the good guys beat Thanos for good. Luckily that should change soon.
Secret Invasion will premiere on Disney+ June 21, while Armor Wars doesn’t have a release date just yet. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
