IRON MAN 2 Star Sam Rockwell Wonders About ARMOR WARS Return: “Is That Being Made?”
It’s wild to think it’s been nearly six years since Marvel Studios first announced Armor Wars, and even wilder that we’re still not sure if it’s actually happening.
The project was originally set up as a Disney+ series before being reworked into a feature film, and since then it’s quietly drifted into that familiar MCU gray zone where updates are scarce and enthusiasm feels muted. Still, every now and then, something pops up that gets fans talking again, and this time it comes courtesy of Sam Rockwell.
Rockwell, who played the scene-stealing Justin Hammer in Iron Man 2, has always been open about wanting another shot at the character.
While talking with ScreenRant, he was asked about a potential Armor Wars return and the idea of teaming up with his White Lotus co-star Walton Goggins. Goggins previously appeared in the MCU as Sonny Burch in Ant-Man and The Wasp, a character many fans suspected might secretly be working for Hammer.
Rockwell responded: “Oh Armor Wars. Oh, you mean the Marvel thing? Is that being made? Walt and I could team up like bad guys, that kind of thing. It’s definitely a fun character. It’d be fun to play either that or a supervillain. It’d be great.”
That uncertainty pretty much sums up where Armor Wars sits right now. Yassir Lester was brought on as head writer back in August 2021, but after a series of delays, Marvel announced in September 2022 that the project would be retooled as a movie.
Since then, it’s mostly gone quiet, even though Spider-Man: No Way Home and Secret Invasion clearly set the stage for a story centered on War Machine, stolen Stark tech, and a possible clash with the Department of Damage Control.
The problem is momentum. While War Machine is a solid and well-liked character, the demand just doesn’t feel massive. The Iron Man trilogy proved that audiences show up for Tony Stark, and without him at the center, Armor Wars has always felt like a tougher sell.
Even Don Cheadle doesn’t seem to have a clear picture of where things stand. When asked about Armor Wars in October 2024, he admitted, “You can find out and let me know. [Laughs] I don’t know, I’m not sure where anything is right now. I think things are going through a lot of changes, and we’ll see what happens, we’ll see what it is.”
That lines up with comments made by Nate Moore, executive producer on Captain America: Brave New World, who recently addressed Marvel’s shifting priorities.
“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,” Moore explained.
“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.”
Looking ahead to a post-Secret Wars MCU, there’s always the possibility that Marvel introduces a new Iron Man, which could instantly make Armor Wars feel like a much bigger deal. Until then, the project seems destined to stay on the back burner, waiting for the right angle and the right moment.
If that moment ever comes, though, it’s good to know Sam Rockwell is ready to put on another slick suit, dance moves included, assuming Armor Wars is actually being made.