The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Don Cheadle Announces War Machine Appearance In MCU Show

By Tom Drew Updated:
Bucky Barnes, Don Cheadle as War Machine, Sam Wilson

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is the next MCU series to hit Disney's streaming service, continuing Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes' stories in their own solo adventures.

The show already boasts a star-studded cast of characters, bringing back Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan's titular heroes in addition to Daniel Bruhl's Baron Zemo. Joining them is newcomer Wyatt Russell as U.S. Agent, who received brand new promo artwork alongside his fellow cast members.

The battle for the shield continuously grows in scale, with Georges St-Pierre's Batroc the Leaper hurdling his way back into the MCU after being absent since 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier. If that wasn't enough, Elijah Richardson is rumored to be playing The Patriot , making Captain America's legacy that much murkier.

Now, an MCU veteran has revealed that he will have a role in the Disney+ show...

WAR MACHINE JOINS FALCON AND WINTER SOLDIER

During an interview on BroBible’s Post-Credit Podcast , War Machine actor Don Cheadle revealed that he will appear in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

When talking about the limitless crossover potential that the MCU offers, Cheadle stated James 'Rhodey' Rhodes " shows up " in the upcoming Disney+ series:

“It’s really a fun and interesting and, by all imagination, completely open-ended — this can go anywhere. It’s great, I can’t wait to get in the room with the writers and figure out how all those things happen. You know, Rhodey shows up in Winter Soldier and Falcon’s show. So, it can be a lot.”

MORE DON CHEADLE IN THE MCU

Though many expected Armor Wars to be the next big property to bring back James Rhodes, it seems that War Machine will be returning much sooner than expected. This is a welcome surprise though, connecting The Falcon and the Winter Soldier to the wider MCU even more so.

The last time fans saw the character in Avengers: Endgame , he was sporting armor much more reminiscent of his Iron Patriot get-up from Iron Man 3. With the U.S. government forcing a rebranding for the armored hero back in 2013, could he have a say in all of this U.S. Agent business?

Considering Sam and Bucky have the Flag-Smashers, Baron Zemo, and U.S. Agent to deal with, a little help from an old pal will certainly go a long way. Perhaps Rhodey could swoop in to give the pair some extra muscle or give some guidance regarding hero business. The state of the Avengers is questionable at the moment, so War Machine's inclusion should add some context to the state of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

Alternatively, perhaps the show could propel Rhodey's own adventures in Armor Wars. War Machine's help in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier could warrant an IOU, leading Sam and Bucky to aid Rhodey on his mission to prevent Tony Stark's tech from causing undue harm.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is set to premiere on Disney+, supposedly with Don Cheadle in it somewhere, on March 19, 2021.

Release Date
March 19, 2021
Platform
- About The Author: Tom Drew
Tom Drew is the Executive Editor at The Direct. Tom writes for The Direct's Marvel, Star Wars, and DC branches while specializing in all things movies, from blockbuster to indie darlings.